LONDON, Jan 8: A ferry ran aground, trucks toppled over, river banks burst, people were evacuated from flooded houses and uprooted trees blocked highways as gale force winds swept Britain and Ireland, emergency services said on Saturday.

A ferry bound for Larne in Northern Ireland ran aground on a Scottish beach at Cairnryan, Loch Ryan. There were no injuries among the 43 passengers and 57 crew, who remained on board due to hazardous conditions.

A helicopter and rescue boat stood by to evacuate them when conditions improved and a tug was en route to pull the ferry clear.

Nearly 70,000 households in the Irish Republic were without electricity Saturday after uprooted trees brought down power lines, the Electricity Supply Board said.

Gales in northern England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland reached 140 kilometres an hour during Friday night.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but police in Britain warned cars and heavy trucks to stay off roads if possible.

Cumbria in northwest England experienced its worst weather in decades, emergency services reported. Flooded homes were evacuated in the towns of Appleby, Longtown and Shap.

Cumbria police said : "We've had people phoning up reporting that the water is starting to creep up the stairs in their homes. Some houses have been evacuated."

The centre of Carlisle was awash.

"We're asking anyone who owns a boat to come out and help us get to the incidents," a police spokesman said.

About a dozen trucks overturned on the M6 motorway through Cumbria and several roads were blocked because of flooding and trees falling.

"At the moment high-sided vehicles should not travel at all. Our advice to drivers of ordinary vehicles is to only travel if your journey is absolutely necessary," the spokesman warned.

Houses were also flooded in the Stirling area of southern Scotland.

In Northumberland in northeastern England 40 people had to be evacuated from their homes and put up in a school.

A truck driver had to be rescued by police helicopter after his vehicle was trapped in floods. -AFP