High winds and high tides raise fears of coastal flooding in England and Wales; trees are uprooted, roof tiles ripped off buildings and power lines brought down.

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND (MARCH 10, 2008) (ITN) -

Parts of the UK were battered on Monday (March 10) by rain and fierce winds. Gusts of up to 85 miles an hour were forecast at the height of the storm, with storms expected to continue for the next two days.

The Environment Agency issued seven severe flood warnings around the Cornish and Devon coastlines. In London a woman was knocked unconscious after a hoarding was blown down at a railway station. Major disruption was caused to train services in southern England, with speed restrictions imposed as a precaution. Airport authorities advised travellers to check flights in advance as the weather caused delays and cancellations.

Britian has been dogged by flooding over the past couple of years. The government was criticised last year after it appeared slow to act following severe flooding in the northeast and midlands that hit thousands of homes.