Almost 2,000 Norfolk homes and businesses were left without power after yesterday's high winds brought down overhead electricity cables.

UK Power Networks engineers worked through the night to restore power supplies in the NR20 area, which lies between Dereham, Fakenham and Reepham, after lines were damaged in two separate places by tree branches in the blustery conditions.

Of the 720 properties which lost power at 3.10pm, 426 had supplies restored at 5.47pm, a further 147 at 10.05pm and the remaining homes at approximately 5.30am this morning.

Meanwhile 310 properties in the Brancaster and Titchwell area were left without power or experiencing flickering electrical supplies following a network fault at 7.40pm.

UK Power Networks said 235 customers had normal supplies restored at 23 minutes past midnight and the remaining 75 customers at 1.41am.

Scott Dougal, general manager of the Ship Hotel in Brancaster, said most of his power was cut off at 7.30pm.

The electricity supply completely failed at 11.30pm but it was fixed at 1am this morning.

He said: 'A bit of the old British spirit kicked in. It was like a disco because the lights were pulsating and flashing. The chefs worked very hard to get the food out.'

The hotel was fully booked and just under 100 people had a meal at the restaurant last night.

Mr Dougal said he had to turn away around 20 customers that evening because the chef stopped cooking at 8.30pm due to the fading light.

He added: 'It was a good atmosphere. We had a hotel full of candles. The television stayed on so people were having fun watching a Paralympic basketball match.'

The power was also cut off for nearby Titchwell Manor between 6pm and 10.30pm.

But despite that, the restaurant was full and its customers ate by candlelight.

In Briningham, near Holt, the supply to 714 properties was fixed during the afternoon, with 45 more restored at 1.09am – but 72 customers has to wait until 11.11am as repairs continued this morning to replace the damaged equipment and restore power.

A spokesman for UK Power Networks said: 'We appreciate how difficult it is to be without electricity and apologise to all those affected.'