Six die as fierce storms sweep across Britain

Six people died in car accidents and six more were reported missing last night as winds gusting up to 90mph and driving rain lashed Britain in the worst storms for seven years.

Three people were killed when two cars collided in King's Lynn, Norfolk, and another three died in a crash on the M5 near Bristol. In both incidents the weather conditions were described as atrocious. A rescue operation was mounted to save six soldiers missing on Dartmoor.

Shortly before last night's storms raced in from the Atlantic, the Environment Agency issued tidal warnings for the South-west. "Amber" warnings of waves crashing over sea walls and beaches were issued for north Cornwall, north Devon and Chesil Bank in south Dorset. The Meteorological Office said Britain was enduring the most sustained period of strong winds since January and February 1990. Matthew Brace