ESSEX residents are continuing to face power cuts and transport chaos after strong winds battered the county.

The windy weather came after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning covering the whole of Essex, which remains in place until 10pm today.

Passengers using train services operated by c2c and Greater Anglia have faced delays throughout the day after trees fell and blocked railways.

LIVE UPDATES: Power cuts and train delays in Essex as strong winds batter county - weather latest

Greater Anglia says lines between Colchester and Manningtree and Southminster and Wickford have now re-opened.

Passengers travelling on those routes are still experiencing delays as Greater Anglia’s service returns to normal, the train company said.

No trains are able to run between Manningtree and Harwich Town because a tree is still yet to be removed, it added.

Rail replacement buses have been organised but won’t arrive at Manningtree and Harwich Town stations “until at least 5.15pm”.

Passengers travelling to and from Stansted Airport have also been asked “not to travel” by train because of a fallen tree between Broxbourne and Bishop’s Stortford.

Earlier today, diversions were in place affecting some c2c trains after the line became blocked at Ockendon, but trains across the c2c network are now moving normally.

Several areas of the county, including parts of Kelvedon, Coggeshall, Brightlingsea, Harwich, Manningtree, and South Benfleet, are currently without power, according to the UK Power Networks website.

More than 1,000 homes in villages in and around Colchester, including Great Horkesley, and 400 homes in villages near Witham were left without power earlier today, but the electricity has since been switched back on.

A power cut forced the closure of West Horndon Primary School today after the school with left with “no electricity, phones, hot water, and fire alarms”.