RAIL services across the country have been badly hit by the terrible storms, with high winds, heavy rain and trees and debris across tracks causing widespread delays for travellers.

First Great Western is advising passengers no to travel, but has lifted ticket restrictions across the network until tomorrow.

The service from London Paddington to Cardiff has been cancelled, but all other trains between London Paddington and Swansea are still running and will call at Cardiff Central.

A half-hourly service will run between London Paddington and Bristol, while service will run every hour from London Paddington and Exeter St Davids.

Trains between Worcester and London Paddington will only run between Worcester and Oxford and an hourly shuttle service will run between Oxford and Didcot Parkway On the London to Reading route, stopping services will run every 30 minutes, while a shuttle service will run between London Paddington and Slough every hour.

In the North West services run by First TransPennine Express, London Midland, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains are all affected, according to National Rail Enquiries.

No trains will run between Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe until approximately 10am because of overhead wire damage near Runcorn, and replacement buses will be running. Trains between Preston and Blackpool North may be delayed by up to 20 minutes because of a problem at a level crossing.

East Coast and Northern Rail trains between Leeds and Wakefield Westgate/Doncaster will not run until at least 8am because of an overhead wire problem near Fitzwilliam, while East Coast, CrossCountry and First TransPennine Express services between Darlington and York may be delayed because of overhead wire problems between these stations.

Trains between Edinburgh and Newcastle have an 80mph speed restriction, meaning delays of up to 15 minutes.

In Wales storm-force winds are expected to cause further delays today. Trees on the line between Clarbeston Road and Fishguard Harbour mean no trains will be running between these stations, while trains are suspended between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog because of an obstructed line.

Buses will replace trains between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth until noon because power cables have been blown on to the tracks between Aberystwyth and Dovey Junction No trains are running between Wolverhampton and Stafford because of an overhead wire problem between the stations, which is not expected to be fixed until 8.30am.