An attendee of Leeds Festival said she was experiencing the “worst day ever” as her tent has been destroyed and her group have been asked to leave their area because the windy conditions are “really bad”.

Carrie Gill, 19, told the PA news agency that “basically our whole tent is gone” and she has spent £60 on a new tipi tent, which she has not been able to erect yet because of the weather.

The university student based in Durham said: “All the rain came in because the poles pulled so hard from the wind the fabric ripped open and leaked the whole tent with the rain. We even put those rock plastic pegs in the bottom and they have snapped.

“We aren’t allowed back into the area for hours, all our stuff is in our mates’ tent, phones on 30%. All the stores have blown over, the urinal walls are gone and lads are just pissing against fences, people’s tents are in the sky, the store shops are all over the floor and shirts and things from stores are gone. It’s honestly really bad here.”

She is waiting in a McDonald’s and will be waiting there “for a while it looks like,” adding that “it’s the worst day ever” and if her new tipi “doesn’t last”, she will be forced to return home.

“As you can imagine being a student, it’s quite an expensive festival to be going to and to be let down like this,” she added.

High winds have reduced the “flow rate” at which flights to London Heathrow airport can land.

British Airways has cancelled more than 20 short-haul flights at its main base on Friday. Two round-trips to each of Rome and Paris were grounded, as well as links to Barcelona and Basel.

On the domestic network, single BA round-trips from Heathrow to Aberdeen, Belfast City, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester have been cancelled.

A British Airways spokesperson said: “Due to restrictions imposed by air-traffic control as a result of adverse weather across the UK, we’ve made some minor adjustments to our schedule.

“We’ve apologised to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans and to help get them to their destinations as quickly as possible.”

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has grounded a flight from Oslo to Heathrow and back, while American Airlines flights to New York and Charlotte were cancelled.

Leeds Festival has been severly impacted by Storm Lilian, with high winds leading to major disruptions.

Organisers have advised festival-goers to remaiin in their tents as gale-force winds continue to batter the site.

The BC Radio 1 and Aux stages have been officially closed for the day, with no performances scheduled due to the severe weather conditions.

Festival orginisers posted an updated on X stating that the area will not open at 11am as planned but they are working to reopen as soon as conditions improve.

They urged attendees to stay safe and remain in their tents or vehicles until the storms fades away.

Manchester Pride organisers are closely monitoring Storm Lilian as it sweeps across the region but currently expect the event to proceed as scheduled.

The storm, hitting Greater Manchester this morning, has brought heavy rain and strong winds of up to 60mph, causing significant damage.

Trees have fallen on cars, homes, and tram lines throughout the area. Several events have already been affected including the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, which has been postponed due to damange to stalls and the main stage.

Despite the adverse weather, thousands are still expected in the sity centre for Manchester Pirde, one of the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

The four-day event will feature headliners like Rita Ora, Sugababes, and Loreen, with Jessie J and Keala Settle performing tonight.

Event organisers remain optimistic, with forecasts suggesting the storm will ease by this afternoon.

Northern Powergrid has reported significant power disruptions affecting over 60,000 customers due to Storm Lilian.

The company, which serves north-east England, Yorkshire, and northern Lincolnshire, has managed to restore power to more than 27,000 households so far.

Director of customer service at the firm claimed the company is focusing on addressing the urgent situation swiftly.

“Our main priorities are to deal with emergency situations as quickly as possible, supporting our customers and ensure our people can work safely as soon as the conditions allow,” said Louise Lowes.

Leeds Festival has been thrown into chaos as England is battered by gusts of up to 80mph, with Storm Lilian sparking yellow warnings across the country.

On Friday (23 August), organisers behind the annual festival announced a delayed start and the closure of several stages due to severe weather conditions.

This year’s Reading and Leeds festivals was being headlined by Liam Gallagher, Blink 182, producer Fred Again…, Lana Del Rey, Gerry Cinnamon, and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Gallagher is due to headline Leeds festival tonight and so far seems unperturbed by the chaos unfolding onsite.

“LEEDS VIBES IN THE AREA LG,” the rock’n’roll star shared to X/Twitter earlier this morning.

The Independent’s music editor has the full story:

The London Underground network has been running smoothly this morning, but the Overground is experiencing severe delays.

Transport for London (TfL) reported significant disruptions on the Overground line between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction, extending to Richmond.

The delays are due to a malfunctioning train at Kentish Town West earlier today.