Thousands of people across the north-west of Scotland spent a third day without electricity yesterday after high winds, ice and snow brought disruption to the transport and power networks.

Almost 100,000 households were cut off from early on Friday as wind gusts reached up to 113mph.

Engineers worked over the weekend in treacherous conditions — including driving snow, lightning and ice — to reconnect customers.

Nearly 10,000 customers remained cut off yesterday, with the Western Isles, Wick, Dingwall and parts of Inverness-shire the worst-hit areas.

Scottish Hydro Electric, which serves the area, said it aimed to reconnect all properties by early today.

Problems on the transport network continued with some rail routes facing disruption and a number of ferries cancelled or delayed.

The Met Office issued further weather warnings for Scotland and northern England for today and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued flood warnings for Caithness and Sutherland, Tayside, Moray and Speyside.