Fog, sleet and snow will disrupt UK and Ireland travel for ‘at least a week’

Published

3 years ago

December 10, 2022

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Freezing fog, sleet and snow are set to cause travel disruption for at least a week, with snow stopping planes in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and more bitter weather to come.

Dozens of flights have been cancelled out of Dublin airport with at least 23 outbound flights and 27 inbound flights cancelled so far on Saturday.

There were 69 departing flights and 74 inbound flights cancelled on Friday evening. The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said the de-icing of planes had caused the delays.

On Saturday morning, Manchester airport temporarily closed both runways due to heavy snowfall, with dozens of flights affected.

One passenger, Simon Stephenson, told Sky News he had been due to fly to Reykjavik at 7.45am, but had been left sat on the plane which he had been told would be delayed until at least midday.

Sky News weather presenter Kirsty McCabe says we can expect the disruption caused by the wintry weather to last for at least another week, adding: “The artic blast of cold weather will bring a mix of wintry hazards, including frost, ice, sleet, snow and freezing fog”.

With “stubborn fog patches” forecast on Saturday, parts of the UK “will feel very cold with temperatures staying close to freezing in places”.

Wintry showers will bring “a risk of ice with snowfall mainly over higher ground” across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and western England. As the evening moves on “snowfall will reach lower levels as the temperature drops”.

It comes as the Met Office warned freezing fog, sleet and snow could bring travel disruption to parts of the UK during the coming days.

As the bitterly-cold weather continues, temperatures are set to stay low, hitting minus 10C (14F) in isolated areas on Saturday and Sunday.

Southeast England has been covered by a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, kicking in at 9am for most of London from 9am on Sunday and staying in place until 9am on Monday. There is a 30% chance of up to 5cm of snow.

The western coast of England, Wales and the north of Northern Ireland have warnings for ice on Saturday and Sunday.

Scotland, apart from the southwest, has a yellow warning for snow and ice covering Saturday and Sunday.

Temperatures in Co Donegal are around 0 to 4C and are due to drop to as low as minus 5C on Saturday night.

Concerns have been raised in particular for the welfare of older people who live alone, for those sleeping rough, and asylum seekers housed in tented accommodation.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is advising people to look out for friends and family who are vulnerable in the cold and to ensure they have access to warm food and drinks, adding that people should maintain indoor temperatures of at least 18C (64.4F).

Dr Agostinho Sousa, consultant in public health medicine at the agency, advised people to “keep your bedroom windows closed at night,” adding that “wearing several layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one thicker layer.”

Travel disruption is expected to reach into the working week, especially on Monday morning, and could include power cuts, problems with mobile phone coverage, and some rural communities being cut off.

Gritters have been out across the UK in a bid to keep motorways and major A-roads open. The RAC said the number of breakdown callouts has been 25% higher than usual.

Local councils and charities have opened more than 3,200 “warm banks” are open across the UK, to help people keep warm if they cannot afford to heat their homes.

The Warm Welcome Campaign said many of these are a third or half full and offer services including hot tea and a place to work.

Save the Children said 194 of 355 councils in England and Wales are involved in or supporting local groups to open warm spaces this winter.

Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at Save the Children UK, said: “Families should not be in a position where they are agonising over whether to put the heating on in sub-zero temperatures. Parents have told us they will risk going into debt to keep their children warm.”

Councillor Richard Wenham, vice-chairman of the Local Government Association’s resources board, said the emergency schemes “should not become the norm” and are “not a sustainable solution to bridge the gap between income and the current cost of living”.

It comes as people on the lowest incomes in hundreds of affected postcode districts in England and Wales are set to receive a £25 cold weather payment as a result of the conditions.

Payments of £25 are issued automatically to certain regions when the average temperature is recorded or is forecast to be 0C or below for seven days in a row.

UK

Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

5 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Two children and a woman have died in a shooting in County Fermanagh, police have said.

Two people were killed in the shooting on Wednesday morning, and a third, who was seriously injured, died in hospital in the afternoon.

A fourth person, a man, was seriously injured in the shooting in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

All victims were from the same household, Superintendent Robert McGowan, district commander for Fermanagh and Omagh, said at a news conference.

Police have cordoned off the scene in the village of Maguiresbridge, about 75 miles (120km) southwest of Belfast.

“We can advise there is no ongoing risk to the public,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.

There was no mention of a motive behind the shooting.

A murder investigation has been launched, with enquiries being at an early stage.

Supt McGowan said at the news conference that police don’t anticipate any arrests being made at this stage.

Emergency services were called to the Drummeer Road area of the village at around 8am on Wednesday following a report raised from the property, Supt McGowan said.

Two people were found dead at the scene, and two others seriously injured.

One patient was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, by air ambulance and the other to South West Acute Hospital by ambulance. Supt McGowan said the third person died at the South West Acute Hospital.

Drummeer Road is currently closed, police said, warning that this could lead to delays on alternative roads.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”

Sinn Fein MP Pat Cullen has expressed her deep shock over the shooting, saying: “Firstly, my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said that the community was “stunned” by the shooting in “a rural, quiet area”.

“Everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,” she said.

UK

Five ‘dangerous’ gang members guilty of murdering boy and man at music video shoot

Published

8 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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Five 'dangerous' gang members guilty of murdering boy and man at music video shoot

Five “violent” and “dangerous” gang members have been found guilty of murdering a boy and a young man at a music video shoot in a north London estate.

The men had gone to the Elthorne Estate in Archway “with the intention of killing anyone they could”, the Metropolitan Police said.

And the group mistook those they attacked for rival gang members.

Lorik Lupqi, 21; Jason Furtado, 28; Abel Chunda, 29; Xavier Poponne, 22; and Eden Clark, 31, were convicted of murdering 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj and attempting to murder 28-year-old Abdullah Abdullahi.

Leonardo and Mr Shekaj were fatally stabbed and Mr Abdullahi was badly hurt when knifemen descended on the event on the night of 29 June 2023.

Leonardo and his brother had been watching a music video being filmed with friends.

Police said Lupqi, a gang member from Islington, saw the gathering at around 8.30pm and took it as an opportunity to hurt those he thought were gang opponents.

He messaged his girlfriend stating that “opps were outside”. She advised him to remain inside, but Lupqi decided to contact his close friend and gang associate Jason Furtado.

They formed a plan and recruited gang members Chunda, Clark and Poponne to travel to the estate.

Lupqi had booked a taxi to pick up the three men from the area of Furtado’s home address in Canonbury, north London, telling the cab firm: “I’m in a little bit of a rush,” the jury heard.

They had worn masks and were armed as they went to the Elthorne Estate where they met Lupqi, the court was told.

By the time they arrived, the filming had ended, and most people had left, but some local children and teenagers remained in the area.

The group then carried out their deadly attack.

The alarm was raised as a black-clad figure wearing a balaclava was spotted crouching down and moving towards Leonardo, his brother and others, with a large knife.

Three more males in black stood up from where they had been hiding behind cars as they edged towards the group, the court was told.

Leonardo was stabbed in the chest, with the wound cutting through his left lung and one of the major blood vessels in his body, causing fatal blood loss.

Leonardo’s brother had run away from the scene but later looped back and saw his sibling lying motionless on the ground, the court heard.

Mr Shekaj was stabbed in the back, with the wound cutting through his left lung and deep into his body.

He was driven to Whittington Hospital by members of the public but he died on arrival.

Detective Inspector Jim Barry said: “These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could, under the false impression that those there were rival gang members.

“This was a senseless, violent act which has shattered the lives of so many, especially Leonardo and Klevi’s loved ones.

“This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars but the effect of what they did will be felt by the victim’s shattered families for longer.”

The five killers will appear at the same court on 25 and 26 September for sentencing.

UK

Third person dies after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

8 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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A third person has died in a shooting in Co Fermanagh, police have said.

Two people were killed in the shooting on Wednesday morning, and a third, who was seriously injured, died in the afternoon.

A fourth person was seriously injured in the shooting in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

All victims were from the same household, Superintendent Robert McGowan, District Commander for Fermanagh and Omagh, said at a news conference.

They have cordoned off the scene in the village of Maguiresbridge, about 75 miles (120km) southwest of Belfast.

“We can advise there is no ongoing risk to the public,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.

There was no mention of a motive behind the shooting.

A murder investigation has been launched.

Supt McGowan said at the news conference that police don’t anticipate any arrests to be made at this stage.

Emergency services were called to the shooting in the Drummeer Road area of the village at around 8am on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said.

They confirmed that two people had been injured.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at scene, one patient has been taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, by air ambulance and another to South West Acute Hospital by ambulance,” the spokesperson added.

Drummeer Road is currently closed, police said, warning that this could lead to delays on alternative roads.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”

Sinn Fein MP Pat Cullen has expressed her deep shock over the shooting, saying: “Firstly, my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said that the community was “stunned” by the shooting in “a rural, quiet area.”

“Everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,” she said.