96mph; Hurricane-force gusts batter England .. and it is Scotland's turn today.

Byline: By Jack Mathieson

HURRICANE-FORCE winds gusting up to 96mph lashed England yesterday as forecasters warned that Scotland is in line for a similar battering tonight.

Experts predict that another storm system - with winds of up to 70mph - will affect an area stretching from southern Scotland to East Anglia.

Paul Barber, of Netweather.tv, said: "A key difference with this system is that it is set to peak closer to the UK."

He said that yesterday's stormpeaked further to the west of Britain. Therefore, the strongest winds were more likely to occur over the UK, rather than out to sea."

A spokesman for Meteogroup also said that Scotland had the potential to be worse today than yesterday, with some severe gales expected.

The West Country and south Wales bore the brunt of yesterday's storm.

Floods and power cuts affected thousands of homes as the wind damaged homes and toppled electricity lines and trees.

Insurers estimated the damage could run into millions.

Rescuers had to take a Swedish tanker with 13 crew on board in tow after it got into difficulties off the Isle of Wight, where the highest wind speed was recorded.

And in Ilminster, Somerset, an in flatable boat was used to rescue a driver trapped on top of his van.

The man called the fire brigade to say he had driven into flood water which was rising above his wing mirrors.

At Cheltenham Racecourse, staff battled to repair storm damage ahead of the grand opening of the Gold Cup.

The port of Dover was closed for several hours due to the high winds.

In Plymouth, Devon, police criticised "mindless" youths seen playing "chicken" with large waves breaking over seafront walls.

Even PM Gordon Brown's Downing Street appointments were caught up in the chaos.

Slovak PMRobert Fico was forced to cancel a visit to No 10 after his flight was scrapped because of the bad weather.

Downing Street officials said the two leaders spoke by phone instead.

In Scotland, gusts of almost 60mph buffeted the west coast and roads and ferry services were disrupted.

Winds of 57mph were recorded in Machrihanish in Argyll and 55mph on Lewis.

On the roads, snow caused problems on the M74 in Lanarkshire, where a lorry jacknifed at Beattock Summit.

In central Scotland two tankers got stuck in snow on the A85 between Lochearnhead and Lixtoll.

Speed restrictions were put in place on the Forth Road Bridge.

Caledonian MacBrayne said that ferry services between the mainland and Arran and Islay were disrupted.

The storms brought flooding to Dumfries and Galloway. The River Nith burst its banks and farmers in some areas had to move their stock to safety.

A number of flights between Glasgow and London were cancelled and Edinburgh airport also suffered disruption.

In Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, high waves flooded streets in the town.

Businesses on the beach promenade were forced to pull down their shutters as stones from the beach were thrown against their windows in the gales.

CAPTION(S):

BOURNEMOUTH AIR WE GO: A man is lifted off his feet and sent sprawling on the sand as the high winds catch his umbrella while he tries to walk along the beach yesterday; CHELTENHAM DOWNER: Preparations for the Gold Cup suffered a setback as a hospitality tent was flattened; DEVON UNDER WEATHER: Walker; LONDON HAIRAISING: Samantha Mumba; TEIGNMOUTH CREST OF WAVE: Surfers