Storm Darragh – latest: Weather warnings continue as flight cancellations hit thousands amid winds near 100mph

Storm Darragh has brought severe winds to the UK as the Met Office delivers weather warnings Morning Headlines

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More than 160,000 homes were still without power more than 24 hours after Storm Darragh hit the UK, the Energy Networks Association has said. The storm caused widespread disruption [1] across the country on Saturday when wind gusts were recored at up to 96mph.

On Sunday, a yellow wind warning for the whole of England and Wales remained in place for most of Sunday. But the damage caused by the powerful winds meant tens of thousands of customers were still without power on Sunday afternoon, although 91 per cent of affected customers had had their connection restored. The Environment Agency still had more than 50 flood warnings, meaning flooding was expected, across England on Sunday afternoon.

The continued disruption came as the first fatal victim of the storm was named. Football coach Paul Fiddler was killed after a tree [2]fell on his van on the A59 at Longton, near Preston, at about 9am on Saturday. Mr Fiddler was one of two people who died in the storms yesterday.

The second was a man who was killed when a tree fell on his car in Erdington in Birmingham.

Storm Darragh: Train lines reopen but thousands remain without power in NI

Tom Watling9 December 2024 03:00

Heartbroken family pay tribute to 'well loved' football coach killed in Storm Darragh

Tom Watling9 December 2024 01:00

Storm Darragh map: Where are the weather warnings and when will it end

Tom Watling8 December 2024 23:15

Storm Darragh: Train lines reopen but thousands remain without power in NI

Tom Watling8 December 2024 22:30

Man recalls 'devastating' moment Storm Darragh ripped son's pre-school apart

A man who watched his three-year-old son's pre-school get torn apart by strong winds from Storm Darragh in rural west Wales has described the experience as "devastating". Brett Stones, 45, looked on in horror as the roof of the Cylch Meithrin in New Quay, Ceredigion, detached and blew away on Saturday afternoon. The area fell within the rare red warning for wind that was issued by the Met Office for the storm.

Mr Stones said the strong winds started in New Quay around 2am on Saturday before "everything went nuts" at around 1pm. He told the PA news agency: "I've got dozens of trees down and fences and tiles, so instead of watching it all go wrong we went into the house. Then the power went out at about 2pm, so we were just sat around the kitchen table looking at each other.

"There was a big creaking noise from out the back of the house - the school is about 50m from my house - and a piece of fluffy insulation came into the garden. "We ran upstairs to the window just as the roof peeled off and flew into the tennis courts." Mr Stones, owner of a local dolphin watching boat trip company, said bits of insulation from the roof ended up a mile and a half away.

Mr Stones has set up a GoFundMe page to fundraise for repairs to the pre-school, which had received more than GBP4,100 in donations as of Sunday evening. Tom Watling8 December 2024 21:49

UK must get prepared for extreme weather like Storm Darragh, climate chief warns

Tom Watling8 December 2024 21:12

Victims of flood struggle to contact National Grid

A woman near Exton, Devon, said she feels "frustrated" and "annoyed" after struggling to contact National Grid to report a power cut since 5pm on Saturday due to Storm Darragh. Deb Knowles, 43, told the PA news agency she was lighting candles and using a torch in her house on Saturday, and decided to take her unwell children to her mother's house on Sunday.

"My mum is in remission and catching this flu or chest infection would be dangerous for her, but I have no choice, the kids need warmth, hot water and food," she said. She said: "I've been pretty much trying all night, all this morning, all day, to call the 105 number to report the outage, because on the website it's saying that there is no known outage, so I don't know if they know that we have nothing." "I feel very annoyed and very frustrated," she said when asked how she feels about not being able to get through to National Grid, adding she has spoken to her neighbours and they are "all in the same sort of situation".

Tom Watling8 December 2024 20:33

Victim of Storm Darragh who was killed by fallen tree named as football coach

The first victim of Storm Darragh, who was killed after a tree fell on to his van in Lancashire, has been named locally as football coach Paul Fiddler. Mr Fiddler, who was in his 40s, was driving his Citroen vehicle on the A59 at Longton, near Preston, at about 9am on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lytham Town FC said on Facebook that Mr Fiddler was a club "legend". It added: "A well loved coach, football player, gaffer but most of all a true friend. "Paul, thank you for everything mate.

Our thoughts are with the Lytham Town lads, his friends and family at this time. "Rest in Peace Paul. We will miss you."

Paul Fiddler (Paul Fiddler)

Alex Ross8 December 2024 20:02

In pictures: Storm Darragh batters England

A flood warden wades in the water on a road near a warning sign after Storm Darragh hit the country, in Hereford, Britain (REUTERS)

A person drives a car amid flooding after Storm Darragh hit the country, in Hereford, Britain (REUTERS)

A playground is flooded after Storm Darragh hit the country, in Hereford, Britain (REUTERS)

Tom Watling8 December 2024 19:54

More than 150,000 left without power after storm, says energy network association

Around 161,000 customers were still without power as of 2pm on Sunday as a result of damage caused by Storm Darragh, the Energy Networks Association said.

In its latest update, the body said 91 per cent of affected customers had now had their supplies restored by network operators.

Tom Watling8 December 2024 19:14

References

^ Storm Darragh leaves thousands still without power and flights cancelled after weekend of high winds (www.independent.co.uk)
^ Heartbroken family pay tribute to 'well loved' football coach killed in Storm Darragh (www.independent.co.uk)