Sunday, February 16, 2014

Mother killed during storm named

UK storms: Mother killed by falling stones named

Julie Sillitoe Julie Sillitoe died when the car she was driving was hit by falling masonry

A mother-of-three who died when falling masonry hit her taxi has been named.

Julie Sillitoe, 49, was one of two people killed as strong winds and heavy rain southern England, adding to problems already caused by widespread storms and flooding.

An 85-year-old man died after a freak wave hit a British cruise ship in the English Channel.

More than 80,000 homes are without power and severe weather warnings are in place for much of the UK.

The car Mrs Sillitoe was driving was crushed by falling masonry, as Angus Crawford reports.

Speaking in Chertsey, Surrey, Prime Minister David Cameron said his "heart goes out to anyone who's been flooded", and pledged to do everything possible to help.

Mr Cameron later took the chair at the government's emergency committee, Cobra, as it discussed the situation.

Earlier Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted: "My thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the people killed in the storms last night."

Firefighters and members of the public stand on a beach, looking at a collapsed section of a cliff Part of a cliff has collapsed at West Bay in Dorset
Soldiers try to move a fallen tree in Egham, Surrey The Army was called in try to move a fallen tree blocking a road in Egham, Surrey
Inside the Marine Restaurant after storm hit (pic: Marine Restaurant) Windows on both the ground and first floors were smashed by flying shingle at the Marine Restaurant in Milford on Sea
Aqua dam being installed to hold back flood water in Chertsey, Surrey An aqua dam is employed to hold back flood water in Chertsey, Surrey

Winds of up to 83mph (130km/h) - combined with ongoing problems due to flooding - have also caused major disruption to roads and railways.

Portland Coastguard said there had been a "large" cliff fall at West Bay, Dorset.

Two people initially reported missing in the area have now been accounted for.

Yellow "be aware" weather warnings of icy driving conditions will be in effect from 20:00 GMT to 10:00 on Saturday for most of the UK. Across the south of England, Wales and the Midlands there are also warnings of heavy rain.

BBC weather presenter Louise Lear said conditions would improve through the course of Saturday with winds easing and some sunshine developing, although temperatures would drop significantly overnight.

Sunday is expected to be a dry day for most areas and while rain will return on Sunday night into Monday, it is likely to be much less intense than in recent weeks, she added.

The Environment Agency has 16 severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in place, as well more than 150 flood warnings and more that 260 flood alerts in England and Wales.

Several passengers were injured when water crashed through a window of the cruise ship, MS Marco Polo, as it headed for its home port of Tilbury in Essex.

A man aged 85 and a woman in her 70s were airlifted off the ship, but the man later died.

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In central London, near Holborn Underground station, a Skoda Octavia minicab was crushed when part of a building collapsed on to it at about 23:00 GMT on Friday.

Mrs Sillitoe, from north London, was pronounced dead at the scene and her next of kin have been informed. Her passengers, a 25-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, were taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency

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In Milford on Sea, in Hampshire, the Army had to be called in to help emergency services rescue 32 people at the beachfront Marine Restaurant after wind-blown shingle smashed windows and a tidal surge flooded the ground floor.

Conditions were described as "extremely dangerous" but police said there had been no serious injuries in the incident.

In other developments:

  • The Environment Agency said river levels were expected to rise and stay high for several days after rainfall on Friday
  • The Thames Barrier has been closed for the 16th consecutive high tide, setting a new record. The barrier is meant to stop high tides pushing water back up the river
  • About 50 soldiers were called in to help police and the Highways Agency shore up a section of the M50 motorway embankment near Ledbury, Herefordshire
  • Overall, about 2,200 armed forces personnel - regulars and reserves - are helping the flood relief effort and a further 3,000 are on stand-by to respond within two hours
  • London Fire Brigade said its staff were working "around the clock" to prevent flooding of Kenley water treatment works, near Purley in Surrey, which supplies 47,000 properties
  • Shipping containers protecting the damaged seafront railway at Dawlish in Devon were breached on Friday night, leaving properties at risk of flooding
  • Seventeen people were evacuated from flats at Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan after part of the roof blew off
  • Many roads have been affected by wind or flooding. See BBC Travel News for the latest information
Residents walk along a flooded street in Henley, Oxfordshire Residents walk along a flooded street in Henley, Oxfordshire
Fallen oak tree, Kenton, Devon, 15 Feb 2014 Contractors are working to remove a huge oak tree which has closed the main A379 near Starcross in Devon
Volunteer moving sandbags Volunteers have been filling sandbags in Egham, Surrey

There are major problems on many rail routes, with Devon and Cornwall worst affected and many services in the two counties suspended altogether.

Network Rail said it had been "a vicious night" with more than 120 trees falling on the West Coast Mainline, and operator First Great Western advised against any travel unless absolutely necessary.

Some parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded for several weeks, while areas near the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey have seen major flooding in recent days.

Are you in the affected areas? Have you been affected by the flooding? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject heading UK weather.

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