Motorists are this morning being warned to expect disruption with road closures across the region due to Storm Isha.

High routes have been closed while fallen trees are causing chaos on local and rural roads.

The A66 is shut in both directions between Scotch Corner and the M6 in Cumbria after “several lorries” overturned.

The route was initially closed to high-sided vehicles before a full closure was brought in at about 10pm last night.

Follow our live blog and get the latest updates on Storm Isha here

National Highways said: “The A66 in Durham / Cumbria is closed in both directions between the A1(M) Junction 53 and the M6 Junction 40 due to strong winds in the region.

“Recovery of several overturned lorries is also required before the road can be reopened.”

The Echo has seen pictures of one HGV on its side on the road near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

Meanwhile, the A19 Tees Flyover between the A66 and A1046 and Redheugh Bridge over the Tyne are both closed to high-sided vehicles, motorbikes, and caravans.

Local routes are also impacted with reports of fallen trees blocking roads across the region.

Network Rail has imposed 50mph speed restrictions on most routes nationwide with operators urging customers not to travel.

No LNER trains are running in Scotland while there were reports of an object caught on the overhead lines between Newcastle and Durham.

A yellow weather warning remains in place for the entire UK at this time.

Gusts of 76mph have been recorded in Loftus, North Yorkshire, and 75mph winds blasted Brizlee Wood, near Alnwick, Northumberland.

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Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “We’re expecting widespread gales to affect the UK, amber warnings are in place for large parts of the country.

“There’s the potential for danger-to-life and damaging winds potentially leading to some power cuts in places, some large waves around coastal regions could bring some debris onto roads and trees could come down.”

He added: “We have a wind warning in place across the whole of the UK, it’s pretty unusual for the whole of the country to be under a blanket wind warning.”