UK weather: Heavy rain to fall on parts of the country days after Storm Babet left at least seven people dead

Published

2 years ago

October 24, 2023

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A fresh deluge of rain is set to fall on parts of the UK days after Storm Babet caused widespread flooding and left seven people dead.

The warning for “heavy rain” will be in place between 3am and 4pm today.

It covers a vast swathe of England already hit by flooding and could lead to further floods in the East Midlands, including Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, as well as much of Yorkshire, including Sheffield, Leeds and York, and Humberside.

The Met Office has said there is a “small chance” homes and businesses could be flooded.

The forecaster has also warned that fast-flowing or deep floodwater could cause a danger to life and that some communities will be cut off by flooded roads.

It comes after the flood risk in England and Wales remained at medium yesterday as the number of dead from Storm Babet rose to at least seven people.

Rachel Ayers, Met Office meteorologist, said a few places, most likely Lincolnshire and Humberside, could see 30 to 50mm of rain, while southern England and Wales could experience 10 to 20mm.

She said there will be “some respite” across Scotland on Tuesday after its battering by the storm.

“The weather we are seeing on Tuesday is no longer associated with Storm Babet,” Ms Ayers said.

“We will see some heavy rain in areas affected by flooding during Storm Babet though the worst impacted areas in Scotland will remain mostly dry on Tuesday.”

She continued: “Within the warning area we could see some travel disruption due to spray and flooding on roads.

“There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life, or that some communities could be cut off due to flooded roads.”

Hundreds left homeless after storm

Reports of floods to the Environment Agency (EA) reached the highest level since 2015/16 at the peak of the storm, Rebecca Pow, an environment minister, told the House of Commons on Monday.

The EA issued more than 300 flood warnings and received more than 1,800 calls to its flood line, she said.

Hundreds of people have been left homeless in the wake of Storm Babet, with about 1,250 properties in England flooded, according to the EA.

Ms Pow said investigations are expected.

A total of 13 areas broke their daily rainfall records for October last week, including sites in Suffolk, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, Kincardineshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Northumberland, Derbyshire and Humberside, the Met Office said.

Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey visited flood-hit Retford in Nottinghamshire on Monday and said residents were asking “why stuff hasn’t happened” since the last major floods in 2007.

She told Sky News: “[Since 2007], between 2015 and 2021 we’ve invested £2.6bn in flood defences right across the country, that was over 300,000 homes. We’re partway through a programme of spending a further £5.2 billion over a six-year time period.”

Ms Coffey added that it may take “several months” for some people to move back into their homes after the flooding.

She said: “But let’s see what we can do to try and speed some of that along and that’s why our officials have already been in touch with insurers and similar.”

Tragedies throughout storm area

The number of deaths rose on Monday as police recovered the body of a man after reports that a person was trapped in a vehicle in floodwater near Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, on Friday.

Police Scotland said that formal identification is still to take place, however next of kin have been informed.

On Saturday, 83-year-old Maureen Gilbert was found dead in her flooded home in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Mrs Gilbert’s neighbours said five feet of water had engulfed the inside of their properties “within minutes” of the River Rother bursting its banks.

Wendy Taylor, 57, also died after being swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, on Thursday.

Mrs Taylor was described as “the beloved wife, best friend and soulmate in life to George, mother to James, Sally and Susanna and Granny to India and George”.

Her family said she was “a ray of sunshine for everyone who was fortunate enough to know her” in a tribute issued through Police Scotland.

Two women also died after a five-vehicle crash on the M4 on Friday which is believed to have been weather-related.

Four cars and an HGV were involved in the crash on the eastbound carriageway between junction 17 for Chippenham and junction 18 for Bath.

A 56-year-old driver, John Gillan, died when a tree fell on his van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday and a man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing floodwater in the town of Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, on Friday.

Mr Gillan’s family said he was a loving husband, dad, grandad and son.

UK

Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

3 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

6 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

6 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.