Shrunken heads could disappear completely
A collection of shrunken heads may be removed from an Oxford museum after complaints by an indigenous South American people.
The Pitt Rivers Museum is in discussion with representatives of the Shuar people of the Amazon rainforest over the future of the heads, regarded by the tribe as having religious significance. Curators at the museum said talks were prompted after visitors said the heads were a “freak show”.
BRITAIN is “in the firing line” for galeforce winds this week, with the Met’s newest storm, Gareth, threatening to damage trees and power lines and cause travel disruption.
The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings for wind following a weekend of disruption with trees uprooted and roofs collapsed.
The main warning was issued for most of England from around midnight on Wednesday until 3pm.
The second warning covers most of Northern Ireland and begins at 3pm on Tuesday, lasting until midnight.
Forecasters have warned that the next few days are set to be “a real prolonged spell of unsettled, wet and windy weather” with gusts of around 55mph across the UK, rising to 65mph in coastal areas.
People should also brace for heavy rain moving south-eastwards, which will be followed by some heavy showers during Tuesday and Wednesday.
Parts of Britain woke to snow on Sunday as gales battered the country, with weather warnings in place across western Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In London, scaffolding collapsed on a road in Fulham, narrowly missing a young couple walking past. Elsewhere, the roof above a café on Stoke Newington High Street, in the East End, collapsed, while wrapping on Grenfell Tower in west London became dislodged in the strong winds.
Emergency services were also forced to evacuate people from a building on the banks of the Thames in Swanscombe, Kent as high winds tore its roof off. The roof of a Tesco store was also ripped off at Westwood Cross shopping centre in Broadstairs, Kent.
The Queen Elizabeth II bridge across the Thames at the Dartford crossing was closed due to strong winds yesterday morning, and ferry passengers travelling from Liverpool had bumpy journeys after winds caused waves to swell in the Irish Sea.
The Met Office said they are yet to officially name the storm but if they do it will be called Gareth. Forecaster John West said: “We are in the firing line for weather off the Atlantic. This week will be the longest spell of unsettled weather this winter after a relatively settled February.
“Monday morning will see rushhour ice with 21F (-6C) possible in Scotland and 25F (-4C) in northern England, with scattered snow showers in the North and maybe further south, with 50mph gusts in the North-west.
“Tuesday morning’s rush-hour looks very wet and windy in the South-east, with strong winds for the whole country by Wednesday, peaking at 65mph.
“Another low pressure system comes through next weekend, bringing strong winds at times. Temperatures will be around the year average but feel colder because of the strong winds.”