ARWEN’S IT
Storm brings chaos – now it’s chillier than Iceland
STORM Arwen caused chaos as winds of almost 100mph battered large parts of the UK.
Three people died while tens of thousands were left without power as the “Beast from the North” swept in, bringing winds, snow and ice. Hurricane-force gales felled trees as parts of the north were brought to a standstill.
And Britain was set to be colder than Iceland today – dubbed Subzero Sunday – with a chill of -2C expected later this afternoon.
One man, believed to be the headteacher of a local primary school, died in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, when his car was struck by a falling tree, as did another man driving a pick-up truck in Aberdeenshire. A third man was killed in Cumbria when a tree fell on him. Elsewhere crushed vehicles were seen in Wallasey Village, Wirral, and Chilcompton in Somerset, where a lorry driver was taken to hospital. Meanwhile guests at Britain’s highest pub were snowed in as blizzards and high winds left roads buried below drifts around Tan Hill Inn in Richmond, North Yorks. Weather warnings were issued around the country by the Met Office, who recorded gusts of 98mph in Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.
Met forecaster Marco Petagna said of the time of year: “It’s not often we experience such a strong northerly wind.” Channel 4 weatherman Liam Dutton added: “It’s bitterly cold.” Northern Powergrid confirmed more than 100,000 customers were left without power in the north-east of England and Yorkshire, while P&O Ferries were forced to halt sailings between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
A mobile home was pictured after being blown upside down at Crimden Dene Caravan Park in Hartlepool, County Durham, while huge waves battered coastlines from neighbouring Seaham to Portreath in Cornwall. The odds for snow on Christmas Day came down to 4/1 in Birmingham and 6/1 in London. William Hill’s Rupert Adams said: “Winter has started early and the odds are tumbling.” WINDS WIPE OUT I’M A CELEB