Storm Imogen batters the region

King Alfred Leisure Centre in Hove had to be closed this morning after storm Imogen damaged the roof. Parts of the Promenade have also been cordoned off. Residents are being asked to stay away from the immediate area.

Coastguards have hit out after schoolchildren were pictured standing on the beach as Storm Imogen hit the South coast.

The children were photographed near to the water at Hill Head in Hampshire as wind speeds up to 60mph hit the coast.

It's believed that the children were on a trip - but there concerns that their safety was put at risk as the weather conditions were so unpredictable.

Coastguard Rescue Officer Brian Graham said: "We do not recommend children of that age being that close to the waves.

"The waves are very unpredictable and no two waves break the same."

The Met Office has released a list of some of the strongest wind speeds recorded since Storm Imogen began - with Needles Old Battery on the west coast of the Isle of Wight topping the list with 96mph gusts reported.

Marino Zanti, general manager of The Needles Landmark Attraction, said that the storm was almost as bad as the one in 1987.

A woman has been injured by a falling tree in Shoreham.

The woman was unpacking her car in Connaught Avenue when the tree was blown over by the wind.

Neighbour David Illman said the woman was taken to hospital suffering from a head wound.

The fallen tree damaged another neighbour's car.

Mark Cole filmed this footage of Storm Imogen hitting Stokes Bay in Gosport.

This incident happened on the A21 not far from Claremont School in East Sussex. The driver was left shaken by the incident.

Storm Imogen is continuing to cause disruption in the South.

This footage was filmed in Brighton seafront a short time ago

Drivers are being urged to check the weather and driving conditions before setting out.

They are being asked to pay particular attention to exposed locations such as coastal and high-lying areas, and bridges which could be affected by the high winds.

The QE2 Bridge at the Dartford Crossing and the A249 Sheppey Crossing are likely to remain closed through the afternoon due to the strong winds.

60mph winds prompted the closure of both bridges for the safety of drivers.

Traffic for the QE2 bridge is being diverted via the east tunnel. Traffic heading northbound will only be able to use the west tunnel.

A clearly signed diversion is in place for the A249 Sheppey Crossing using the Kingsferry bridge.

The bridges will remain closed until the wind speeds drop, which could be after 5pm.

Drivers are advised to plan their journeys and allow extra time.

A badger had a lucky escape when it was nearly hit by a flying object during the weekend's storm.

As Storm Imogen started to take hold on Saturday night, the badger had a close shave in Ashford in Kent.

Wildlife enthusiast Angie Davidson's night vision camera filmed the badger eating peanuts in her garden.

It narrowly misses getting hit by the top of a large vegetable planter after it blew loose in the wind and toppled over.

The poor badger was startled and ran off. However, it did return later to finish its snack.

An elderly man has been seriously injured and his dog killed when a flint garden wall crashed down on them during winds from Storm Imogen.

The man in his 70s suffered a suspected double leg break after the five foot high wall blew over as gale-force winds hit the West Sussex region.

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said the man was "fully conscious" while being treated and was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

Storm Imogen has brought a swathe of damage as 80mph winds swept across the UK, leaving more then 13,500 homes without power.

• Met Office shows the path of Storm Imogen's 96mph winds