Trees fallen and roads blocked following storm

Wind speeds of 95mph (154km/h) were recorded in Jersey as Storm Goretti hit the island on Thursday night.

The government said winds were expected to "ease throughout the day" on Friday - an orange warning remains in place and islanders are asked to delay journeys.

Clean-up teams are dealing with a reported 86 fallen trees and debris, and about 300 homes have been left without power. Jersey Electricity said it had so far restored power to about 150 homes.

The government said main routes were being prioritised for clearing and warned the island-wide clean up would "take days, not hours".

• You can follow live updates on the aftermath of the storm here.

Liberty Bus cancelled its school bus services on Friday morning due to "too many routes being blocked" but said school routes would resume in the afternoon "but will not be able to stop on smaller roads due to fallen debris".

It said its regular services would remain in operation with some disruption.

The government said parents and carers would be contacted directly by head teachers with information about school opening arrangements.

"We ask families to take extra care when travelling to school and to follow local advice," it added.

Jersey Electricity said parts of the island's network had been damaged by fallen trees bringing down overhead power lines.

It said crews would continue to assess damage and restore supplies "where it is safe to do so".

It said: "One of the main challenges has been safely accessing affected areas and removing fallen trees before repairs can begin - to help reduce disruption, mobile generators have been deployed in some locations to provide temporary supplies.

"We understand how challenging this situation is and appreciate customers' patience. Islanders are reminded to stay well clear of any damaged power infrastructure and to report hazards immediately using the same number."

Gusts of up to 94mph (151km/h) were reported at Jersey's airport, which opened two hours later than usual on Friday at 07:30 GMT.

Flights arriving and departing from London airports were cancelled on Friday morning and others delayed - islanders planning on flying were asked to check directly with their flight provider for travel updates.

Airport operations director Ashley Maggs said there was "limited weather damage" at the airport overnight.

The government said freight services were due to arrive on Saturday morning.

Tristen Dodd, from the Infrastructure and Environment Department, said new reports of fallen trees and debris kept coming in - with the west of the island seeming more affected than the east.

He said: "We've got sites around the island where we've got our forestry equipment close to staff, so they can get there easily from their homes to start as early as possible… we've had guys starting to get to their places of work since about 5am.

"We've got debris in the roads like site hoardings, fences, garden sheds, broken glass, we're working our way around all of those sites."

Howard Davis Park has been closed due to five large trees having fallen, lots of debris has closed Coronation Park with an expected reopening of 13:00 and Winston Churchill Park has two trees down with the main path to Park Estate blocked.

Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham thanked the teams that "worked tirelessly through the night to keep our island safe and functioning during the storm".

He said: "The commitment shown by all - from our emergency services and utility teams to those clearing roads and restoring essential infrastructure, is greatly appreciated.

"Recovery efforts are continuing today, and islanders are asked to exercise caution and follow official guidance as we restore services and return to normality as swiftly as possible."

Jersey's ice rink was damaged by the storm and it will not open for its remaining three days of the season. Springfield Stadium was also closed due to storm damage.

The government asked islanders to only visit the emergency department "in a genuine emergency" as it was "extremely busy" while other hospital services were running as normal.

Chief of Police Robin Smith said as part of major incident plans, three times as many police officers were on duty during the course of the storm.

He said: "In many ways it may surprise you to know we're sort of busier in the morning when people are waking up, seeing some of the damage.

"We of course want to focus on those people that are vulnerable, need medical assistance."

Smith added there were "no reported casualties" for storm-related injuries and thanked islanders for following advice of staying indoors.

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