Two women have been seriously injured after being struck by a falling oak tree as Storm Evert continues to batter the South East of England.

The pair, aged in their 20s, were said to have been attending a “private outdoor party” near Heveningham in Suffolk when the incident occurred.

It comes as yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms remain in place, stretching from East Anglia to the North Yorkshire coast, and inland as far as Nottingham.

Winds of almost 70mph have lashed the UK during Storm Evert, which moved in from the west on Thursday evening.

While Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly saw the worst of the weather, gusts and rain spread over much of southern England.

Suffolk Police were called to the incident involving the two women at about 6.35pm on Friday evening, alongside firefighters, ambulance crews and the air ambulance.

It is understood the pair were in attendance with others at the party.

One of the women received head and spinal injuries, while the other had an injured arm and pelvis.

Both were taken to hospital.

More rain is expected across central, eastern and southern England on Saturday.

The highest wind of the storm so far was recorded on the island of St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles, at 69mph.

The area’s coastguard spent the night helping rescue people from boats and yachts around the Scilly Isles.

Falmouth Coastguard Operations centre reported 22 incidents on Thursday night.

Campers also felt the full force of the winds with some saying they had been “caught out” by the late issuing of the amber weather warning for the storm.

Deputy head teacher Mark Morgan-Hillam, 48, his wife Leanne, 43, and three children, were camping in Cornwall during the storm.

Mr Morgan-Hillam, from Wigan, said: “The lack of warning was an issue.

“It was only at 9/10pm at night that we noticed the storm warning had changed to amber and I think that caught a lot of people out on our site who went to bed thinking it would be windy, but not blow their tent over.”