Storm Austen brought gusts of up to 84mph to the Channel Islands and disrupted power and transport across southern England and Wales on Thursday, with more than 10,000 homes losing electricity.
The first named storm of the season made landfall in the south-west overnight and tracked eastwards. Wind speeds reached 76mph in Guernsey, equivalent to a severe gale. Fallen trees blocked railway lines and roads across the region, and ferry services between the UK and France were cancelled. Train operators warned of likely disruption over the weekend.
A section of Brighton's West Pier, an abandoned structure that opened in 1866, collapsed into the sea during the storm. Stephen Royle, who lives opposite the pier, told the BBC that the waves were "enormous" and said he was shocked by how much of the structure endedured in the sea.
The National Grid said engineers had restored power to more than 60,000 properties since Austen began. However, power cuts continued Thursday evening, with engineers working to restore supply to remaining affected homes.
Schools across Jersey and Guernsey closed for the day. Families were evacuated from a holiday park in Perranporth, Cornwall ahead of the worst of the storm. Hannah Dawson-Turk, evacuated with her family, told the BBC that "the night before last, it sounded like our caravan was going to be ripped apart" and that waves looked "huge" from the hotel where they sheltered.
Fresh food shortages are expected in the Channel Islands in coming days due to ferry disruptions. Mark Cox, boss of the Co-op in the Channel Islands, said "it's rare we get this level of disruption to storms backing up so quickly and probably a little bit more heavier than what we'd had to deal with in the past."
Storm Boelo is forecast to follow on Saturday, with the Met Office issuing an amber warning for wind covering parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland from 21:00 BST Saturday to 21:00 BST Sunday. Wind gusts of 60-70mph are forecast, with exposed coastal areas potentially experiencing speeds up to 80mph. Heavy and persistent rain is also predicted, with spray and surface water expected to create hazardous driving conditions.