Storm: Three People Killed By Falling Trees

Three people have been killed by falling trees in the worst storm to hit Britain in a decade.

Bethany Freeman, 17, died after a 30ft tree fell onto a static caravan in which she was sleeping in Kent.

Paramedics and firefighters attended the scene in Hever, Edenbridge, but were unable to save the teenager, known as "Gia" to her friends.

The caravan in which Bethany Freeman was sleeping when it was hit by a tree

Neighbours also tried to rescue the Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School pupil. One described someone coming to her door, asking for a chainsaw.

Her mother and brother, who were sleeping in a neighbouring caravan, were said to be deeply traumatised by the accident.

The family had been living in the mobile homes for a year while outbuildings on the grounds were transformed into a new house.

Her driving instructor Neil Chapman turned up at the address unaware of the tragedy and said: "I can't believe it. What a shock. She was a super kid. She was a great girl, good fun ... her family must be so devastated. I can't believe it."

A man in his 50s, from Harrow, north-west London, was killed after a tree fell on his car whilst he was driving along Lower High Street in Watford.

A police officer at the scene, who did not want to be named, said: "This is a major artery into Watford and we were lucky it was school half-term. If it wasn't we'd have had a lot more traffic coming through here."

The body of the storm's third victim was found at an address in Hounslow, west London, which was devastated after a tree struck a gas main which led to an explosion.

A map showing the trail of destruction and disruption of the storm

One woman was taken to hospital, and a second was still missing following the blast in Bath Road, which destroyed three houses and damaged two others.

Fire crews rescued a dog from one of the homes and some 12 people were evacuated from neighbouring premises as a precaution.

A 14-year-old boy, named locally as Dylan Alkins, is also feared dead after being swept out to sea on Sunday in Newhaven, East Sussex.

Up to 600,000 homes suffered power cuts as hurricane-speed winds of up to 100mph swept across the South West, South, South East, the Midlands and the East of England.

People climb over a fallen tree in Shepherd's Hill, north London

Power has been restored at 320,000 homes, however 270,000 are still without.

The Dungeness nuclear power station in Kent automatically shut down both reactors after power to the site was cut off.

Gusts of 99mph were recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, according to the Met Office, while the Environment Agency said some 16 flood warnings and 134 flood alerts were in place.

Winds topped 80mph along southern coastal areas and became turbulent inland reaching 81mph in Portland, Dorset, 75mph in Yeovilton in Somerset and 79mph at Andrewsfield in Essex.

A tree crashes through several homes in Hounslow Pic: London Fire Brigade

Some 50mm of rainfall in 12 hours was recorded in Otterbourne in Hampshire and about 44mm in Cardiff.

Fierce winds overturned a double-decker into a field in Coram Street, Hadleigh in Suffolk, injuring the driver and several passengers.

The driver, a man in his 40s, was initially trapped and was treated at the scene by paramedics.

A police spokesman said: "He was suffering from neck pain, had taken a bash to his head and was in and out of consciousness.

A bus carrying passengers is blown over onto its side in Hadleigh, Suffolk

Whitehall was closed in both directions in Westminster, London, after a crane collapsed onto the Cabinet Office which was evacuated.

A helter-skelter at Clacton Pier in Essex was blown over by the storm, but did not fall into the sea.

Rush-hour commuters suffered chaos on the roads and train network, with falling trees and debris blocking roads and covering railway tracks.

Network Rail said: "Trains will not be allowed to run until the worst of the storm has passed and engineers have been able to check railway lines ... branches or any other debris which may have blown onto or damaged the infrastructure."

Scaffolding has been blown down in Francis Road, Leyton Pic: Mark Davies

Several London Underground and train services were suspended, the port of Dover in Kent temporarily shut after gusts of 65 knots were recorded in the area, and more than 130 flights at Heathrow Airport were cancelled because of the weather.

The Environment Agency said there were 11 flood warnings in place across the South West, the Midlands and the East of England. There were also 124 flood alerts telling people to be prepared for flooding.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who held talks with Government departments and agencies at the weekend to ensure they were prepared for the impact of the storm, said the loss of life as a result of St Jude's storm was "hugely regrettable".

A tree crashes onto a London bus Pic: @Casawa2011

He said the Government was working to make sure that the emergency services were able to do as much as possible to provide assistance.

Mr Cameron said: "Any injury or loss of life is hugely regrettable. We have to make sure the emergency services can act as fast as they can to help people."

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