Ireland was one of the worst hit areas overnight, buffeted by 70mph winds. The body of a man killed during Christmas storms was recovered on Tuesday from a tributary of the swollen River Suir at Waterford in the Irish Republic.

And in County Kerry, a rescue team went to the aid of three youths, two aged 17 and one 18, who had become stranded on the slopes of the 3,400ft Carrantouhill, Ireland's highest mountain.

The trio were said to be suffering from exposure, but otherwise uninjured, as the Christmas storms, considered the worst in Ireland for more than 35 years, continued.

Ferry alert

The gales led to the cancellation of Irish Sea ferries from Dublin to north Wales and of the P&O Jetliner.

Rescuers were alerted on Tuesday night when a car ferry carrying more than 300 people got into difficulties in bad weather at the mouth of the Irish capital's River Liffey.

Engineers were working to restore power to homes

The incident in Dublin Bay came just minutes after the Isle of Man ferry had left Dublin for the island port of Douglas.

But two local lifeboats and a helicopter were stood down when tugs secured the ferry and towed the ship, the Lady of Man, back to its berth without incident.

None of the 260 passengers or 51 crew on board was injured.

Thousands without power

Meanwhile, thousands of homeowners in Scotland and Ireland were still without power because of damage caused by the earlier storms.

Electricity companies have come under fire in recent days after their engineers were unable to restore power to households in the regions.

At least 12,000 Irish households endured a fourth night without power after being blacked out by storms on Boxing Day.

Northern Ireland Electricity put the number of customers still without power supply in the province at 5,000 early on Wednesday.

High winds and driving rain continued to hamper the repairs but the remainder should be reconnected later in the day, a spokesman said.

Some of Scotland's outlying rural areas were also enduring a blackout.

Scottish Power struggled on Tuesday to restore electricity supplies to several thousand homes in Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and West Lothian cut off since Boxing Day.

Heavy rain

Forecasters predicted that Wednesday's storms would lose most of their ferocity by the time they reach the south-east, but heavy rain is expected everywhere.

The Met Office has predicted that poor weather is likely to marr New Year celebrations through to the weekend.