THREE DEAD AS ARWEN HITS UK
Winds up to 98mph unleash devastation
MANCHESTER Partygoers brave the winds and sleet
TRIBUTES have been paid to the first of Storm Arwen’s victims after Britain was battered by winds of up to 98mph.
Primary head teacher Francis Lagan, who died when a tree fell on his car, was hailed as a “gentle soul”.
The father-of-four, principal of St Mary’s in Maghera, Co Londonderry, was killed in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Friday.
His former school in South Derry called him a “giant in his prime”.
A man from Lancaster also died in Ambleside, Cumbria, and a 35-yearold was killed in Aberdeenshire when a tree fell on his car. Both victims are yet to be identified.
Gusts of 98mph were recorded in Brizlee Wood, Northumberland, while 87mph was recorded at Orlock Head, Co Down.
More than 55,000 homes in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Co Durham lost power, and thousands of people in Cumbria and Lancashire also suffered outages.
The M62 was closed near Rochdale, Lancs, after 120 lorries became stuck in snow.
And rail passengers were advised not to travel, with services cancelled north of Newcastle and Carlisle. ScotRail services were disrupted too after a barn blew onto the line near Falkirk, Stirlingshire.
Ferries between Northern Ireland and Scotland were also cancelled.
Elsewhere, a puppy died when the roof was ripped off Many Tears Animal Rescue in Llanelli, South Wales, while in Co Durham, Chester le Street Town FC’s clubhouse roof landed on the pitch.
Last night, amber and yellow warnings were still in place in South West and North East England as the storm brought 70mph gusts. The Met Office warned the North of England and the Midlands could expect more wet and windy conditions until tomorrow.
Forecaster Marco Petagna said: “We’ve seen the worst of the weather, though people will still see snow and fairly strong gales.”
The odds of a White Christmas last night fell to 4-1 for Manchester and 5-1 for London.