More than 1,000 residents near Didcot were left without electricity this morning after the storm battering Britain damaged power lines.

Residents in Blewbury, Aston Tirrold and East Hendred suffered power cuts before 7am after a high-voltage line was damaged in Cholsey near Wallingford.

Winds of up to 80mph have already hit the Cornish coast and more severe weather is expected, although Oxfordshire will escape the worst of the storm, according to the Met Office.

Denis Kirby, a spokesman for Southern Electric, said engineers were working to get supplies switched back on and the majority of the 1,000 homes had now been re-connected.

Drivers were advised to take care after high winds brought down trees, partially blocking a number of roads across the county, including Haddon Hill, Didcot.

A fallen tree also closed Challow Road between Wantage and King Alfred School, and another partially blocked Kirtlington crossroads near Kidlington.

The A415 crossroads at Clifton Hampden was also partially blocked due to a fallen tree.

The severe weather conditions meant traffic was slow between junctions 10 and 11, Ardley and Banbury on the M40, and between junctions six and seven, Lewknor and Great Milton.

Gales and driving rain are predicted to continue to push through Oxfordshire today and tomorrow.

The storm, which could bring winds of up to 60 mph to the county, pushed in from the west overnight and was expected to last until Wednesday.

The worst-affected areas are likely be the south coast and the West Country, with Oxfordshire escaping the worst of the weather, according to the Met Office last night.

Met Office forecaster Byron Chalchaft said: "We are going to get winds peaking about 6am with gusts around 50 or 60mph across Oxfordshire.

"Then from around 8am the heavy band of rain will ease away to the east and winds will drop off for a time.

"We will get the winds increasing to some extent later in the day, to around 40 or 50 mph around lunchtime, but it now looks like worst weather will fall further south.

"Tuesday and Wednesday will see high winds and heavy rain spreading all over the UK with some gusts in Oxfordshire again up to 60mph.

"These winds may blow down branches but you need speeds of 70mph and above to cause extensive damage.

"It will be quite easily the stormiest weather of the winter and the area of deep low pressure could be the lowest in 20 years."

The Highways Agency has issued a warning to drivers to take care on the roads.

A spokesman said: "Anyone driving high-sided vehicles or towing caravans or those on two wheels should take extra care when strong winds are forecast.

"Motorcyclists may be affected by turbulence caused by large vehicles, so keep well back when overtaking high-sided vehicles."