A number of schools and homes in west Suffolk have been affected by power cuts and strong winds.

IES Breckland and the Forest Academy, both in Brandon, and the Elveden Academy have confirmed they are closed due to a power cut and health and safety reasons.

Glade Primary School, Brandon, has remained open.

At 8am this morning around 1,005 homes in the Brandon area - postcodes include IP27 0, IP27 9 and PE19 2 - were without power.

UK Power Networks said they were “investigating a high voltage overhead electricity line fault which has caused a power cut”.

The problem was reported at 6.41am.

Power had been restored to some properties and at 10.30am there were still 207 without power.

There are also reported power cuts in the Thetford area affecting 84 properties in the postcode area of IP24 2,NR16 2.

Power is set to be restored between 11.30am and 12.30pm. And 152 properties around Barnham - including IP24 2,IP31 1,IP32 1,NR10 4 - are also without power.

This was reported at 5.48am this morning and UK Power Networks have said power should be restored between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.

More information about power cuts in your area can be found on the UK Power Networks website.

High Lodge at Thetford Forest will also be closed today.

On the site’s official Facebook page it said: “The forecast is for strong winds tomorrow (18th Jan), particularly in the morning, therefore High Lodge will remain CLOSED so that we can assess the site and severity of the wind.

“We will post any updates we have regarding opening the site tomorrow morning on this page.”

The Thetford Forest Facebook page has said the Forestry Commission has received a lot of calls.

“As you can expect our teams are very busy this morning and we are trying our best to get to priority trees first.

“The main office is currently down power so there is no phone contact currently.

“But if you cannot get through on the main line 03000 674590 and you need to get an URGENT message to us please TEXT Thetford Ranger on 07766 781746.”