Strongest storm in 21 years to hit UK
Alert on beaches as Ophelia roars in
AN invasion of deadly jellyfish-like stingers has hit our beaches, washed in by 90mph winds from Hurricane Ophelia.
Thousands of Portuguese man o’ war have been found across southern England and in Wales.
People have been warned not to touch as the tentacles give agonising stings that can be fatal to children.
Experts are predicting even more could arrive as the storm hits.
A Sea Trust Wales spokesman said dog owners needed to keep pets away and surfers would be “vulnerable wherever exposed skin may come into contact with long stinging tentacles”.
A spokesman for the Sussex Wildlife Trust said the creature’s tentacles, which can grow up to 160ft long, “can result in a painful sting so please don’t touch if you see one”.
The remnants of Ophelia were today set to bring torrential rain and winds of 80mph.
The Met office warned it could cause a “danger to life” as well as damage buildings, disrupt traffic, knock out mobile phone networks and lead to power cuts.
Forecaster Grahame Madge said: “We are expecting gusts of up to 80mph. There will be very strong winds during rush hour and when people are coming back from school. This hurricane has taken a very unusual track out of tropical waters off the west of Africa.
“All the other big hurricanes we have seen this season have headed west across the Atlantic.
“But we would fully expect this system to weaken as it approaches.”
More than 1,200 troops are on standby to deal with any destruction. Ophelia,
This hurricane has taken a very unusual track out of tropical waters GRAHAME MADGE OF THE MET OFFICE
which had reached speeds of up to 115mph, will strike on the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987, which killed 18 people and caused up to £2billion of damage.
BBC TV forecaster Michael Fish, who at the time insisted a hurricane was not on its way, has admitted he “had a little problem 30 years ago”, and said of Ophelia: “It looks nasty.”
He added: “Winds could be stronger than storm-force and damaging.”
But while the west of the UK is battered, more eastern areas are likely to face surprisingly warm weather.
The Met office said temperatures could hit 25C in parts of southeast England today.
Bookie Coral cut the odds on this being the wettest October in the UK to evens from 3/1 after a flurry of bets.