Electricity engineers on standby as region braces for Storm Ellen

Electricity North West, which operates the North West's power network, has responded and says it will be ready to deal with any problems the elements cause.

The storm, named by the Irish meteorological services, is set to bring gusts of up to 65mph which could cause damage to overhead lines as debris and trees affect the network, while heavy rainfall is also expected.

It is the first named storm since Storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge in February.

Sam Loukes, incident manager at Electricity North West, said: “We have teams monitoring the weather daily and where necessary, we put in place well developed plans to help keep the power flowing to customers.

“Following the Met Office’s weather warning, we have immediately put plans in place to ensure we can respond if Storm Ellen causes any problems to the electricity network.

“We invest money throughout the year to ensure our network is resilient as possible but when the weather hits, we make sure our response is as quick as possible. Our engineers and contact centre teams are on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond.

“If anybody does see any damage to overhead lines or electricity equipment, we urge them to stay away and report it to us immediately by calling 105.”

Residents can stay safe and prepare themselves for potential power cuts by following the advice at www.enwl.co.uk/power-cuts/helpful-tips