LIVE UPDATES: Gusts of over 90mph hit Northumberland as Storm Ali arrives

Latest updates will be added here:

5.35pm UPDATE: The B6344 into Rothbury from the A697 is currently closed due to fallen trees and drivers should use an alternative route. This closure will be in place at least overnight.

5.10pm UPDATE: London North Eastern Railway (LNER) statement: Due to extensive damage to the overhead wires and continuing high winds, no services will run between #Edinburgh and #Newcastle for the rest of the day. Tickets for today (19/09/18) will be accepted on LNER services tomorrow: https://bit.ly/2MTAav9

4.54pm UPDATE: A spokesperson for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said: “A crew from Alnwick Fire Station attended an incident where a tree had fallen on a car in that location, and they were on site until 15.03pm. They administered first aid to a male casualty at the scene - until the incident was handed over to the ambulance service.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 2.08pm to a report of a vehicle which had been damaged as a result of a fallen tree on Wagonway Road. We dispatched two crews from our hazardous area response team and two double-crewed ambulances. Two patients were taken to the Northumbria hospital in Cramlington. We have received a number of calls about weather-related incidents and would like to remind everyone to take extra care in these conditions.”

4.40pm UPDATE: Alnwick Town’s home game against Seaton Delaval has been postponed due to the weather conditions.

4.10pm UPDATE: Northern Powergrid had successfully restored by 3.30pm electricity supplies to 13,000 customers and is working to restore power for 14,000 customers currently still affected. The electricity network company is responding to the impact of high winds, which are yet to peak and have so far caused power cuts for some 27,000 customers predominantly in Northumberland and County Durham. The severe weather is expected to continue throughout today and into this evening.

4.05pm UPDATE: London North Eastern Railway (LNER): A number of coaches have been sourced at #York Station. The first of these coaches is due to arrive in 25 minutes. These will head north calling at all stations to #Newcastle. Station staff will advise where these will leave from: https://bit.ly/2OBdT5p.

4pm UPDATE: Northumberland County Council statement: Bebside, Morpeth, Berwick and North Seaton Household Waste Recovery Centres are currently closed due to high winds.

3.55pm UPDATE: Highways England tweeted: #A1 southbound at #Morpeth - Exit slip road closed for the A192 due to an overturned HGV. We are on scene with @northumbriapol arranging recovery.

3.50pm UPDATE: County council statement - The council is dealing with a large number of calls about trees that have fallen or been damaged in the current high winds. Council teams are responding as quickly as they can, prioritising calls where trees are blocking main roads or causing other immediate difficulties. We would urge people to report urgent issues through our customer contact centre on 0345 600 6400, and less urgent issues online on the ‘Report a tree problem’ form here: https://online.northumberland.gov.uk/citizenportal/form.aspx?form=Tree_Report

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) statement: We are experiencing significant travel disruption as a result of high winds, and overhead wire damage at Durham and north of Berwick today. As a result, we are advising customers not to travel between York and Scotland today. Customers with tickets valid for travel today, Wednesday, September 19, will be able to use their tickets to travel on any LNER service tomorrow, Thursday September 20.

3.40pm UPDATE: Latest from Northumberland County Council on trees: West of Thropton (B6341) *NOW CLEARED*; Cross Keys Bank, Thropton (B6341); Scots Gap, heading towards Morpeth (B6343); Longframlington (Rothbury Road). Tree down on the A697/A1 turn off and wagon is blocking the South A1/Morpeth turn off.

3.35pm UPDATE: Public Transport Alert – Service 477, Berwick to Holy Island bus service is not operating today due to the adverse weather conditions. Electricity back on in Alnwick after power cut affected 1,490 premises. Power still off in Longhoughton and Boulmer still off.

3.30pm UPDATE: Northumberland County Council has warned of the following trees down: Weldon Bank (A697); West of Thropton (B6341); Next to Rothbury Football Club (B6344); Netherton to Alwinton (C176?). All were reported to NCC and council workers are out clearing now.

2.35pm UPDATE: Northumbria Police: “At around 2.11pm, we received a report a tree had fallen onto a moving vehicle in Bondgate Without, Alnwick. Emergency services are currently at the scene and the road is currently closed.”

THE PICTURE AT 2pm: A top gust of 91.3mph was recorded at the Letham Shank weather station in Berwick just after 1.30pm.

The gales have brought down trees and branches and caused difficult driving conditions on the county’s roads while train services were also disrupted.

Among the problems, a motorhome blew over on the southbound A1 at Marshall Meadows between Berwick and Eyemouth, partially blocking the road.

A large tree has also blocked the B6349 east of Old Lyham, Chatton.

One mum had a lucky escape when an oak tree snapped just metres from where she had been collecting conkers for her two-year-old son, Flinn.

Hannah Kinnear was on the Whittingham to Glanton road when the scare happened this morning.

“I was collecting conkers for my son to try to cheer him up because he hadn’t been well,” she said. “I literally heard a thunder like crack and saw half a tree falling in my direction so ran towards the car. It literally landed where I was stood and where the two cars would have been if they hadn’t slowed down for me.

“It just makes you realise how seconds can matter. It then cracked again and the other side of the top tree fell but it went into the field. We moved the debris off the road into the sides but it was lucky call for us all - could have been very different.”

Highways England continues to advise drivers to take extra care due to the weather conditions.

The Met Office has an amber weather warning in place for Northumberland until 6pm.

Several visitor attractions closed, including Bamburgh Castle and Cragside.

Morpeth’s market was also called off early as a precaution.