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Woman killed by falling debris as Storm Doris lashes UK Woman killed by falling debris as Storm Doris causes chaos across UK
(about 2 hours later)
Winds of more than 100mph have battered the UK as the worst storm of the winter caused the death of a woman killed by falling debris and travel chaos across the country.Winds of more than 100mph have battered the UK as the worst storm of the winter caused the death of a woman killed by falling debris and travel chaos across the country.
Storm Doris had raged in from the west overnight, leaving freezing temperatures in its wake and prompting Met Office forecasters to label the low pressure system a “weather bomb”, meaning the barometer dropped by more than 24 millibars over 24 hours. Storm Doris had raged in from the west overnight, bringing freezing temperatures with it and prompting Met Office forecasters to label the low pressure system a “weather bomb”, meaning the barometer dropped by more than 24 millibars over 24 hours.
There was unpredictable danger for drivers who contended with falling trees and black ice, train cancellations at stations from London to Birmingham and pedestrians blown across pavements like rag dolls. There was unpredictable danger for drivers who contended with falling trees and black ice, and train cancellations at stations from London to Birmingham. Pedestrians suffered too, with some pedestrians blown across pavements like rag dolls.
What some called “Doris Day” saw dozens of planes grounded at Heathrow, the port of Liverpool closed and major road bridges, including the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford Crossing linking Kent and Essex, the M6 Thelwall Viaduct in Cheshire and the A14 Orwell Bridge in Suffolk shut to traffic. What some called “Doris Day” saw dozens of planes grounded at Heathrow, the port of Liverpool closed and major road bridges shut to traffic – including the Queen Elizabeth II bridge at the Dartford Crossing linking Kent and Essex, the M6 Thelwall viaduct in Cheshire and the A14 Orwell bridge in Suffolk.
The most serious incident came in the West Midlands, where a 29-year old woman died when she was hit by a piece of roof the “size of a coffee table” in Wolverhampton city centre. A piece of wood about a metre (3ft) long and 30cm wide could be seen behind police cordons after the woman suffered “very serious head injuries”, the West Midlands ambulance service said. The most serious incident came in the West Midlands, where a 29-year-old woman died when she was hit by a piece of roof the “size of a coffee table” in Wolverhampton city centre.
A piece of wood about a metre (3ft) long and 30cm wide could be seen behind police cordons after the woman suffered “very serious head injuries”, the West Midlands ambulance service said.
“It quickly became apparent that there was nothing that could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene,” a spokesman said.“It quickly became apparent that there was nothing that could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene,” a spokesman said.
“I think the wind broke it and caused it to fall,” said Rebecca Davis, 40, who was at the scene. “I don’t know if it was hit by something else or just the wind did it. It was a big piece about the size of a coffee table but I think it just hit her.” “I think the wind broke it and caused it to fall,” said Rebecca Davis, 40, who was at the scene.
“I don’t know if it was hit by something else or just the wind did it. It was a big piece about the size of a coffee table but I think it just hit her.”
The coffee company Starbucks said in a statement it was “shocked and saddened by the terrible incident”, which happened outside its store.The coffee company Starbucks said in a statement it was “shocked and saddened by the terrible incident”, which happened outside its store.
In a similar incident, a man in central London was taken to hospital with “head injuries” after Scotland Yard said its officers were called over reports of “debris falling from the roof of a building” in Victoria Street near Cardinal Place shopping centre at around 3pm. In a similar incident, a man in central London was taken to hospital with “head injuries” after Scotland Yard said its officers were called to reports of “debris falling from the roof of a building” in Victoria Street near Cardinal Place shopping centre at 3pm.
The London ambulance service said it attended 17 storm-related incidents, including road traffic collisions, wall and building collapses and trees being blown. It treated several people for head injuries caused by falling debris. The London ambulance service said it attended 17 storm-related incidents, including road traffic collisions, wall and building collapses and trees being blown over. It treated several people for head injuries caused by falling debris.
A woman in her 60s was treated for a serious head injury after being hit by a carport roof in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, where winds also hampered political activists getting out the vote in the Stoke Central by election. A woman in her 60s was treated for a serious head injury after being hit by a carport roof in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, where winds also hampered political activists getting out the vote in the Stoke Central byelection.
“Crews were told the roof fell down and hit the woman, which subsequently caused her to collide with a wall,” said a spokesman for the West Midlands ambulance service.“Crews were told the roof fell down and hit the woman, which subsequently caused her to collide with a wall,” said a spokesman for the West Midlands ambulance service.
“I feel very lucky that I managed to stop before I became a pancake,” said Paul Smith, a driving instructor in Spalding, Lincolnshire who narrowly avoided a 40ft tree that crashed down in front of his car. “I heard two or three bangs on the car as a couple of branches bounced off the car.” In Spalding, Lincolnshire, a driving instructor had a narrow escape when a 12-metre tree crashed down in front of the car he was driving.
An Iceland Air flight was forced to declare a fuel emergency after failing to land at both Manchester and Liverpool airports because of the high winds. It finally landed at the third time of asking in Manchester at 11.35am with its tanks running low. “I feel very lucky that I managed to stop before I became a pancake,” said Paul Smith. “I heard two or three bangs on the car as a couple of branches bounced off it.”
An Icelandair flight was forced to declare a fuel emergency after failing to land at both Manchester and Liverpool airports because of the high winds. It finally landed at the third time of asking in Manchester with its tanks running low.
Video footage showed the Boeing 757 passenger jet pitching alarmingly on its final approach. There was a similarly hairy, but ultimately safe, landing at Leeds-Bradford airport.Video footage showed the Boeing 757 passenger jet pitching alarmingly on its final approach. There was a similarly hairy, but ultimately safe, landing at Leeds-Bradford airport.
The gales spread across the North Sea to the Netherlands, where the landing gear of a Flybe plane carrying 59 passengers and crew from Edinburgh collapsed as it came in to land at Schiphol airport.The gales spread across the North Sea to the Netherlands, where the landing gear of a Flybe plane carrying 59 passengers and crew from Edinburgh collapsed as it came in to land at Schiphol airport.
“Nobody was injured,” said Schiphol spokesman Jacco Bartelds. “They are evacuating passengers now and taking them to the airport building by bus.”“Nobody was injured,” said Schiphol spokesman Jacco Bartelds. “They are evacuating passengers now and taking them to the airport building by bus.”
A top wind speed of 94mph was recorded in Capel Curig, north Wales, but the port of Liverpool said it closed after 100mph gusts.A top wind speed of 94mph was recorded in Capel Curig, north Wales, but the port of Liverpool said it closed after 100mph gusts.
In Wisbech, Cambridgeshire a doubledecker bus was blown on to its side at around 1pm, according to an East of England ambulance service spokesman. Paramedics assessed 15 people at the scene on Lynn Road but no one involved was believed to be in a serious or life-threatening condition. In Wisbech, Cambridgeshire a doubledecker bus was blown on to its side at around 1pm, according to an East of England ambulance service spokesman.
Paramedics assessed 15 people at the scene on Lynn Road but no one involved was believed to be in a serious or life-threatening condition.
There were reports of trees felled by the winds across the country, with one trapping a man in a van on the A374 in Cornwall, and others collapsing on to houses in London and Wigan.There were reports of trees felled by the winds across the country, with one trapping a man in a van on the A374 in Cornwall, and others collapsing on to houses in London and Wigan.
In Scotland, snowfall closed the M80 in both directions, and led to schools shutting and the cancellation of some ferry services. In Ireland almost 46,000 households woke up to no electricity after violent gusts battered large swaths of the country throughout the night. In Scotland, snowfall closed the M80 in both directions, and led to schools shutting and the cancellation of some ferry services. In Ireland, almost 46,000 households woke up to no electricity after violent gusts battered large swaths of the country throughout the night.
Trees crashed on to railway lines and Network Rail said its engineers were dealing with hundreds of wind-related incidents, including chairs and trampolines blown on to tracks and bags hitting overhead power lines. Trees crashed on to railway lines and Network Rail said its engineers dealt with hundreds of wind-related incidents, including chairs and trampolines blown on to tracks and bags hitting overhead power lines.
Routes affected by fallen trees included London to Norwich, Bicester North to Banbury in Oxfordshire and Reading to Guildford.Routes affected by fallen trees included London to Norwich, Bicester North to Banbury in Oxfordshire and Reading to Guildford.
The East Coast main line was blocked when large metal sections of roofing blew on to the rails at Sandy in Bedfordshire. Trains were also slowed to 50mph between London Euston, Preston and Liverpool, and between London Marylebone and Birmingham and across the West Midlands. The East Coast mainline was blocked when large sections of roofing blew on to the rails at Sandy in Bedfordshire. Trains were also slowed to 50mph between London Euston, Preston and Liverpool, and between London Marylebone and Birmingham and across the West Midlands.
London Euston, Kings Cross and Victoria as well as stations in Birmingham and other major connecting hubs all experienced temporary delays or closures due to the weather. London Euston, King’s Cross and Victoria as well as stations in Birmingham and other major connecting hubs all experienced temporary delays or closures caused by the weather.
A Network Rail spokeswoman said: “Storm Doris is really causing us problems today. Please be assured we are doing all we can to keep the railway moving.”A Network Rail spokeswoman said: “Storm Doris is really causing us problems today. Please be assured we are doing all we can to keep the railway moving.”
Heading into Thursday evening, as Storm Doris began to move out into the North Sea, Met Office meteorologist Emma Sharples said the winds would begin to decrease.Heading into Thursday evening, as Storm Doris began to move out into the North Sea, Met Office meteorologist Emma Sharples said the winds would begin to decrease.
“Then the focus turns more to it turning cold, frosty and icy overnight, with wintry showers around as well,” she said.“Then the focus turns more to it turning cold, frosty and icy overnight, with wintry showers around as well,” she said.
With the mercury set to dip to between 0C (32F) and 3C in cities overnight, a Met Office yellow warning for ice was issued to cover Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. The office also continued to warn of gusts of 60-70mph in some areas, with 70-80mph expected on coasts and hills.With the mercury set to dip to between 0C (32F) and 3C in cities overnight, a Met Office yellow warning for ice was issued to cover Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. The office also continued to warn of gusts of 60-70mph in some areas, with 70-80mph expected on coasts and hills.