Ophelia claims could reach £10m

Despite being less strong than had been expected, the storm blew gusts of over 90m/h in some parts of the UK.

The greatest impact was seen in southwest Scotland, Northern Ireland, western Wales and northwest England, causing travel disruption, falling trees and power cuts.

The Met Office said the strongest gusts in the UK were recorded on the southern edge of the low pressure, reaching over 90m/h in Wales’ Gwyned region, before the ex-hurricane headed in a northeasterly direction, weakening and moving eventually over the North Sea.

In the republic of Ireland, speeds reached 97m/h in Cork, 84m/h at the city’s airport.

NFU Mutual employed an emergency claims plan to expedite policyholder enquiries. The company’s Scotland manager, Martin Malone, said: “Based on what we are hearing today from our network of offices across Scotland, damage appears limited to slates or roofing sheets ripped from houses and farm buildings – together with damage to properties and vehicles from falling trees.

“However, with policyholders only now able to check damage as the winds subside, this is likely to rise.

Farmer Alistair Martin in Dumfriesshire said that while he hadn’t heard of significant damage, he would not have wanted the wind to be any stronger: “There are branches off a number of trees round about, but modern sheds have stood the weather all right.

“Some older sheds might need some work and the odd sheet has come off. It was not as gusty as expected. It’s the gusts that can cause more damage than sustained wind, which is when you get vacuums. That’s why there’s probably not too much damage.”

Arnott Coghill, who farms near Thurso was more concerned about the rain: “It was quite windy, but no worse than at other times. There was a stiff gale, but only for a couple of hours. But we had a lot of rain.”

Southwest in Kintyre, David Bolt was also relieved that the storm had been weaker than foreseen: “Kintyre didn’t get it as bad as they said they were going to.

“There are a few branches down, but nothing drastic. I made sure I tied things down and put things away in sensible places, so if something flew off there wasn’t a tractor or car in the way. All the doors were shut.”