In pictures: Storm batters Britain and northern Europe

People walks along the shoreline as waves crash onto the beach in Brighton. Sang Tan / AP Photo

A boat lays stricken on the strand. Weather forecasters in Britain say it is one of the worst storms to hit Britain in years. Sang Tan / AP Photo

Engineers look at damage caused by a construction crane falling on the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, near to Downing Street in London. Alastair Grant / AP Photo

The storm is causing flooding and travel delays with the cancellation of many flights and trains. Alastair Grant / AP Photo

Residents look at a fallen tree in a street in south London. Andrew Winning / Reuters

The roof of a pedestrian bridge collapsed during the storm outside London Bridge. Dylan Martinez / Reuters

Black swans swim past a sign in a river swollen by rain in Dawlish, south-west England. Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

A fallen tree blocks a road in Ealing, west London. Toby Melville / Reuters

A commuter loses control of her umbrella while crossing London Bridge. Dylan Martinez / Reuters

A commuter's hair blows in the wind. Dylan Martinez / Reuters

Women run after a suitcase during strong winds in central Brussels, Belgium. Francois Lenoir / Reuters

A woman and a girl struggle against strong winds in Brussels. Francois Lenoir / Reuters

People look at waves crashing against a pier at Boulogne sur Mer, northern France. Pascal Rossignol / Reuters

People look from a bridge at a tree which fell into the Herengracht canal in Amsterdam. Cris Toala Olivares / Reuters

A major storm with hurricane-force winds lashes southern Britain, causing flooding and travel delays.