CHAOS occurred in the Maldon district this afternoon as Storm Eunice hit the country with areas shut off through power cuts and fallen trees.

The Met Office issued a red warning for Essex with strong winds posing serious concerns of potential danger to life.

The warning was in place between 10am and 3pm, and came to fruition as significant disruption and damage occurred across the Maldon and Burnham areas.

Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue urged people to stay at home this afternoon.

Crews attended scenes of fallen down trees on numerous roads, stuck lorries and multiple vehicle crashes.

READ MORE: All the places closed in Maldon as residents urged only to travel if essential

Firefighters as well as police officers from Maldon were called to Langford Road in Wickham Bishops earlier today when an empty van was tipped over by the wind.

The lorry driver was trapped inside and crews worked to get him out safely.

A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue Service said: "We're strongly discouraging people from travelling during the storm, but if you do have to, please drive slowly and leave bigger gaps between yourself and other vehicles."

As well as this, several buildings have reportedly been damaged across the district, with residents spotting roof tiles and other debris in the streets.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Damage to a building attended by Maldon firefighters. Photo: Maldon Fire Station - Essex Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters were also called to reports of damage to the Blue Boar Hotel in Maldon at 12.14pm.

Crews confirmed the hotel's chimney stack had been struck by high winds.

It was subsequently blown off and had gone through the roof of the building.

There was also a gazebo in the courtyard which "was in a dangerous position".

Firefighters worked together with the Urban Search and Rescue team to make the scene safe and dismantled the gazebo to prevent further risks.

They confirmed the building was safe at 1.08pm.

A spokesman for Maldon Fire Station added: "As expected it’s been a very busy day for us dealing with incidents as a result of Storm Eunice.

"The winds are expected to be strong into the evening rush hour so please take extra care if you need to go out."

Residents had also alerted Maldon District Council officers to damage to the Burnham town pontoon.

READ MORE: All the Essex postcodes with power cuts as Storm Eunice batters county

Emergency services are attending it and residents are asked to avoid the area until further notice.

There are currently power cuts reported in areas such as Maldon, Heybridge, Salcott and Tillingham.

A spokesman for Maldon District Council said: "Please be careful around any damaged electrical wires, pylons or equipment."

The council had suspended waste collections for today at around midday as conditions worsened and various roads have been blocked by trees and other debris.

There was trouble for commuters as well, as Greater Anglia suspended all its train services to allow Network Rail staff time to remove trees and repair the infrastructure.