A man has died after a tree fell onto a caravan near Helston, Cornwall, as 99 miles per hour winds battered Britain during Storm Goretti, police have said.
Emergency services were called to the Mawgan area at around 7.35pm on Thursday January 8 following reports of the incident.
Officers and other emergency crews attended the scene, with further work carried out on Friday to remove the fallen tree safely and carry out enquiries.
The body of a man in his 50s was found inside the caravan.
His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by police, the force confirmed.
Cornwall was one of the worst-hit regions by the gale-force winds of Storm Goretti.
The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning covering Cornwall, advising that the winds could cause damage to homes and flying debris, resulting in danger to life.
Very large waves, power cuts and public transport cancellations were also seen.
Stock picture of a tree felled during Storm Goretti | GETTYEmergency alerts containing guidance on how to stay safe amid the “dangerous” weather were also sent to hundreds of thousands of Britons.
“It is very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure,” the forecaster warned.
“You should avoid travelling, where possible, and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities.”
As the worst set it, Network Rail announced that all trains in Cornwall would be suspended from 6pm on Thursday.
A rare red warning was issued to the coastal region
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Dozens of schools have also been closed during the storm.
In nearby Devon, trains on the Exeter-Okehampton and Exeter-Barnstaple routes were suspended over the same period because of high-wind speeds.
Elsewhere in the UK, 30cm of snow fell in Wales and the Midlands.
More than 65,000 properties were left without power on Thursday evening, with most in southwest England plunged into darkness, according to the National Grid.
An emergency alert concerning the storm was sent to thousands of Britons
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GETTYIn the West Midlands, as many as 11,000 properties were affected, and thousands in Wales were also hit.
As a result, travel chaos has reigned across some of Britain’s vital transport hubs.
Birmingham Airport was forced to suspend runway operations on Thursday night after “heavy snow” made it unsafe to fly.
Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, has seen dozens of flights cancelled due to severe weather.
