Grim getaway on the cards

13m cars on UK's roads as great Christmas exodus delayed by long queues on trains, planes and ferries

- Robert Kellaway

MORE than 13 million people face a battle to reach their loved ones this weekend as foul weather and transport delays cause a travel nightmare before Christmas.

Heavy winds and rain were disrupting road and rail travel last night ahead of the two main festive travelling days.

And there were enormous queues of traffic at the entrance to the ferry terminals at the Port of Dover yesterday.

The M62 in West Yorkshire was also partly closed yesterday morning following a crash in which a passenger was killed.

The RAC has estimated some 13.5 million cars will get on the roads over the weekend.

Delays to trains, flights and cross-channel services are all expected, with gusts of up to 70mph set to hit northern and central regions of England on Sunday.

Two separate yellow wind warnings have been issued, saying people should expect travel disruption, damage to buildings and power cuts.

Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said: "There's potentially going to be some travel disruption on Christmas Eve, to the east of the Pennines in particular, because of that wind.

'If trains are delayed, people shift to the roads, which could add to already high traffic volumes'

"It's also going to be a very windy day in Scotland as well, so a chance of some travel disruption and power cuts, particularly given the wind we saw recently with Storm Pia.

"As we get into Christmas Day, the outlook is looking rather unsettled at first. There are weather fronts draped over the UK and it's looking likely that we'll have rain across much of England and Wales and some showers in parts of western and southern Scotland.

"This will gradually clear up during the day, some people may get a clearer spell in the afternoon. So, an unsettled day.