Storm Arwen: Second man killed by falling tree

A lorry blown over in high winds blocks the A179 near Hartlepool, County Durham, after gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battered some areas of the UK during Storm Arwen. Picture date: Saturday November 27, 2021.
A lorry blown over in high winds blocks the A179 near Hartlepool, County Durham, after gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battered some areas of the UK during Storm Arwen. Picture date: Saturday November 27, 2021.
Owen Humphreys
Gareth Milner

By Gareth Milner


Published: 27/11/2021

- 09:44

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:58

The UK felt the full force of Storm Arwen with gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battering some areas.

A man has died after a tree fell on him in Ambleside, Cumbria Police said.

Police, ambulance and fire service personnel all attended Vicarage Road at 11pm on Friday, but the man, who was from Lancaster, died at the scene.


The police and other agencies were still at the scene on Saturday morning as the tree remained in a dangerous position, and people were asked to avoid the area until it is made safe.

It was the second death as Storm Alwen swept across the UK, with a man killed when his car was struck by a falling tree in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Friday.

The UK felt the full force of Storm Arwen with gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battering some areas.

The Met Office said speeds hit 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.

While the red weather warning expired in the early hours of Saturday, the forecaster said amber and yellow warnings for wind remained in place, with the expectation of “some very strong gusts” in many areas.

People were still advised to only travel if absolutely necessary, and the Met Office described gusts overnight as “damaging” and having affected “a wide swathe of the United Kingdom”.

In Northern Ireland, a man was killed when his car was struck by a falling tree in County Antrim on Friday.

Wind speeds reached 87mph in Orlock Head, County Down.

Inverbervie on the north-east coast of Scotland saw gusts of 78mph, while Aberporth in Wales saw speeds of 77mph.

Roads were closed by fallen debris in the worst-hit parts of Scotland, while LNER train services north of Newcastle were also ground to a halt, with high winds, heavy rain and snowfall arriving from Friday afternoon.

The Met Office warned the north-east of England, north-west of England, Yorkshire, the West Midlands and the East Midlands will experience cold weather until Monday.

Amber weather warnings remain in place until around 9am on Saturday for the north-east coasts of England and Scotland, and the south-west coasts of England and Wales, while the yellow warning covers most of the UK until 6pm.

Friday night’s rugby union Premiership game between Newcastle Falcons and Worcester Warriors was postponed until Saturday evening due to safety concerns.

And in North Wales, ITV was forced to pre-record Friday night’s live episode of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! amid concerns, including that poor weather would interfere with the broadcast around Gwrych Castle.

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