High Sheriff dies in horror floods HUBBY SAW ANNIE S WEPT AWAY

A MAN saw his former High Sheriff wife swept to her death in a river by one of the floods ravaging the country.

Michael and Annie Hall were trying to flee their stricken car when rising waters picked them up.

It is thought millionaire engineering firm boss Michael, 77, managed to stop himself being sucked into the Derwent and get to safety.

The tragedy came two years after Annie, 69, was made a High Sheriff of Derbyshire by the Queen.

As they told of their shock yesterday, friends said the tireless volunteer had been thrilled to receive the 1,000-year-old civic honour.

Impassable

The exact details of what happened remain unclear but locals said it appeared the couple tried to drive through a flooded stretch of carriageway as they returned home from an event in Derby.

Pals said police had stopped them as they drove down the A6 to their home in Ashford-in-the-water.

The road had become impassable in several places due to the torrential rain, including the stretch through the village of Rowsley.

One friend said: “It appears they were so keen to get home she and Michael decided to risk it. But their car couldn’t get through. I don’t know what happened next but it seems they both tried to get out of the car. Annie and Michael were swept away but sadly she ended up in the river.

“I hear he has been in hospital but I’m not sure how he is.”

Ambulance crews got a call at 7.14am on Friday alerting them to a woman being swept away in the Rowsley and Darley Dale area.

Annie’s body was recovered from the River Derwent two miles away at around 10.40am.

Chief Constable Peter Goodman said: “I am shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely and tragic death of my friend, and former er High Sheriff, Annie Hall. Annie e was a great leader in Derbyshire in both industry and on the civic front. nt. She will be hugely missed.”

Local MP Pauline Latham m added: “She was a great champion on of our county and will be sorely missed.” Annie was also a trustee of Umbrella, a charity supporting disabled children. It said: “Annie did so much for Umbrella and other charities across the county. We will miss her so much as a friend.”

Annie’s family said: “It is with great sadness we report her sudden passing. We are in great shock.”

The country continued to take a battering yesterday – and snow fell in Glyn Ceiriog, near Llangollen, North Wales. The Met Office says freezing weather is on the way for many with snow, sleet and -8C temperatures set to cause chaos.

A spokesman said: “It’s going to stay cold and quite unsettled across the UK, similar to what we’ve had this week. The main risk of snow is going to be on Monday morning or Sunday night into Monday morning. Some places could wake up to covering by rush hour.

“As the week progresses the main risk of wintriness will be confined to the higher ground in Scotland and the Pennines and the mountains in Wales, especially North Wales.”

Funding

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for better flood management ahead of a visit to deluged communities yesterday.

Speaking in Leeds, Mr Corbyn said: “Obviously we need much better flood management and prevention sc schemes. It also means properly fun funding our fire and rescue service services and properly funding our Environment Agency to deal with this.

“The Environment Agency has lost a fifth of its staff, the fire services have lost more than a fif fifth of their staff. “They’re struggling to cope w with this.”

Yesterd Yesterday South Yorks 999 control operato operators had taken more than 1,600 emer emergency calls since 12pm Thursday. Fire crews carried out

at least 184 rescues.