Girl, 15, drowns in a Welsh river after London tourist, 50, died off the Cornish coast as Britain braces itself for more strong winds and 10ft waves today during Storm Ellen
- Britain has been battered by heavy winds as Storm Ellen rolls across UK with gusts of up to 71mph
- Storm, which contains remnants of devastating Tropical Storm Kyle, brings heavy gales and power cuts
- Fierce conditions represent a dramatic turnaround from last week’s extreme heatwave across the UK
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A 15-year-old girl drowned in a Welsh river after a London tourist died off the Cornish coast in twin tragedies yesterday as Britain braces itself for more strong winds today.
Gusts of up to 70mph buffeted parts of the south-west of England and Wales yesterday, causing the RNLI and HM Coastguard to urge members of the public to be cautious in coastal areas.
Winds are expected to be lighter today, although 10ft waves have been forecast in parts of the south-west.
South Wales Police said a 15-year-old girl died following an incident in a river in east Cardiff on yesterday evening.
Emergency services, including a police helicopter, responded to reports of a girl in the river in Ball Lane, Llanrumney, at around 5.20pm.
‘At about 6.40pm a 15-year-old girl was located and despite the best efforts of emergency services she sadly passed away,’ the force said.
Some 10 flood warnings remained in places across parts of the UK on yesterday night, meaning flooding is expected, while the Environment Agency issued a further 24 flood alerts for swathes of the south-west.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning of wind for all of England, Wales and parts of Scotland on Friday, bringing the potential for travel disruption and large waves in coastal areas. Pictured: The Welsh town of Tywn
Gusts of up to 70mph buffeted parts of the south-west of England and Wales on Friday, causing the RNLI and HM Coastguard to urge members of the public to be cautious in coastal areas
A yellow wind warning issued by the Met Office expired on Friday evening, with no further warnings expected over the weekend, according to forecaster Matthew Box.
‘It’s still going to be breezy and blustery tomorrow, but winds will not be as strong as they have been today,’ he said.
Heavy showers could hit parts of central England with the potential for thunder on Saturday, while southern parts of the country are expected to see sunny spells.
Further north it is a ‘mixed bag’ weather-wise, Mr Box said, with some cloudy but also sunny spells towards the east.
The strongest gust recorded on Friday was 71mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, while Mumbles Head in Swansea saw winds of up to 68mph.
HM Coastguard urged members of the public to keep their distance from the waves, while the RNLI advised visiting lifeguarded beaches whenever possible and to avoid storm watching if swells become high.
‘The combination of winds, tides and swells is going to make for dangerous conditions that could put you into difficulty very quickly,’ a tweet by the RNLI said.
The strongest gust recorded on Friday was 71mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, while Mumbles Head in Swansea saw winds of up to 68mph
Porthcawl, Bridgend, Wales, UK, where visitors were shielding themselves against the heavy winds and rain yesterday