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Storm Pia is expected to cause significant disruption across the UK as “do not travel” advice has been issued, schools have closed and electricians are on standby in case of power cuts.

A yellow weather warning for wind came into effect at midnight and will last until 9pm on Thursday, with gusts of 70mph to 80mph forecast in the far north and northeast of Scotland.

Gusts could reach speeds of 65mph to 70mph on high ground in the north of the warning area – and 45mph to 55mph elsewhere.

The warning also covers Belfast, Newcastle upon Tyne and Manchester, bringing potential travel chaos in the run-up to Christmas.

UK weather latest – the forecast where you are

Police in Northern Ireland also issued a warning of “potential traffic disruption” on the roads caused by fallen trees and debris.

“Please drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts, and also be aware of high-sided vehicles on more exposed roads,” they said.

“If you must travel, please bear the prevailing conditions in mind.”

British Airways has also apologised to customers, having made adjustments to its schedule.

The airline said: “As a result of Air Traffic Control restrictions put in place because of Storm Pia, we have had to make some adjustments to our schedule today. We have apologised to our customers for any disruption to their travel plans and our teams are working hard to get them on their way as quickly as possible.”

It is unclear precisely how many flights are affected, but it is reportedly around 24 short-haul domestic and European flights to and from London Heathrow, The Independent reported.

Meanwhile, on the Scottish island of Shetland, schools will be closed, and more electricity network engineers are being brought in to deal with any power cuts.

Latest weather warning covers Scotland and many areas in North England. Pic: Met Office
Image:
Latest weather warning covers Scotland and many areas in North England. Pic: Met Office

Rail travellers urged to plan ahead

Train company TransPennine Express (TPE) issued the “do not travel advice,” asking customers to delay their journeys in and out of Edinburgh until after 3pm due to expected strong winds.

TPE said there will be speed restrictions in place from the early hours for trains running to and from the Scottish capital, and it will not run services between the city and northwest England until the afternoon.

Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience and operations director for TPE, said: “Our number one priority is to keep our customers and colleagues safe, and we will be doing all we can to keep people moving in difficult conditions.

“We are urging anyone travelling across the affected routes to plan ahead, allow extra time, check their journey up until the last minute, and follow the guidance provided.”

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What have other rail companies said?

Network Rail Scotland has suspended services on the West Highland Line (including lines to Oban and Mallaig), Kyle of Lochalsh Line, Far North Line and Inverness to Inverurie service.

It added that many services will only run once safety inspections have taken place, leading to some cancellations.

There are also delays of up to 30 minutes on LNER services between Edinburgh and Newcastle due to speed restrictions.

The operator said trains to and from Inverness will not run, with services instead starting or terminating at Edinburgh.

Northern warns of delays of up to 45 minutes to journeys due to speed restrictions in place on various lines including between Leeds, Manchester Victoria, Halifax, Preston, and Carlisle.

A number of weather related incidents is also causing disruption.

Ferry services across the west coast of Scotland, including Western Ferries and the Corran Ferry, are currently suspended.

The Met Office is also forecasting more rain on Friday.

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Police search for missing sisters last seen three days ago near Aberdeen river

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Police search for missing sisters last seen three days ago near Aberdeen river

Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.

Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.

The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.

Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Image:
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Image:
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.

Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”

Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.

The Huszti sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
Image:
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland

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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.

Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.

The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.

Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.

CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”

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Britain’s gas storage levels ‘concerningly low’ after cold snap, says owner of British Gas

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Britain's gas storage levels 'concerningly low' after cold snap, says owner of British Gas

Britain’s gas storage levels are “concerningly low” with less than a week of demand in store, the operator of the country’s largest gas storage site said on Friday.

Plunging temperatures and high demand for gas-fired power stations are the main factors behind the low levels, Centrica said.

The UK is heavily reliant on gas for its home heating and also uses a significant amount for electricity generation.

As of the 9th of January 2025, UK storage sites are 26% lower than last year’s inventory at the same time, leaving them around half full,” Centrica said.

“This means the UK has less than a week of gas demand in store.”

The firm’s Rough gas storage site, a depleted field off England’s east coast, makes up around half of the country’s gas storage capacity.

Gas storage was already lower than usual heading into December as a result of the early onset of winter.

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Combined with stubbornly high gas prices, this has meant it has been more difficult to top up storage over Christmas.

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UK’s first taxpayer-funded injection room to open in radical move to tackle drugs epidemic

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UK's first taxpayer-funded injection room to open in radical move to tackle drugs epidemic

Glasgow has been a city crying out for solutions to a devastating drugs epidemic that is ravaging people hooked on deadly narcotics. 

We have spent time with vulnerable addicts in recent months and witnessed first-hand the dirty, dangerous street corners and back alleys where they would inject their £10 heroin hit, not knowing – or, in many cases, not caring – whether that would be the moment they die.

“Dying would be better than this life,” one man told me.

It was a grim insight into the daily reality of life in the capital of Europe’s drug death crisis.

Scotland has a stubborn addiction to substances spanning generations. Politicians of all persuasions have failed to properly get a grip of the emergency.

But there is a new concept in town.

From Monday, a taxpayer-funded unit is allowing addicts to bring their own heroin and cocaine and inject it while NHS medical teams supervise.

A dirty needle thrown less than 100 metres from the new injection centre
Image:
A dirty needle thrown less than 100 metres from the new injection centre

It may be a UK-first but it is a regular feature in some other major European cities that have claimed high success rates in saving lives.

Glasgow has looked on with envy at these other models.

One supermarket car park less than a hundred metres from this new facility is a perfect illustration of the problem. An area littered with dirty needles and paraphernalia. A minefield where one wrong step risks contracting a nasty disease.

Drugs paraphernalia in a supermarket car park in Glasgow, near the new facility
Image:
Drugs paraphernalia in a supermarket car park in Glasgow, near the new facility

It is estimated hundreds of users inject heroin in public places in Glasgow every week. HIV has been rife.

The new building, which will be open from 9am until 9pm 365 days a year, includes bays where clean needles are provided as part of a persuasive tactic to lure addicts indoors in a controlled environment.

There is a welcome area where people will check in before being invited into one of eight bays. The room is clinical, covered in mirrors, with a row of small medical bins.

Clean needles are provided to lure addicts to inject in a controlled environment
Image:
Clean needles are provided to lure addicts to inject in a controlled environment

One of the eight bays users can inject in
Image:
There are eight bays users can inject in

We were shown the aftercare area where users will relax after their hit in the company of housing and social workers.

The idea is controversial and not cheap – £2.3m has been ring-fenced every year.

The aftercare area
Image:
The aftercare area

Read more: ‘Dying would be better than my £1,000 a month heroin addiction’

Authorities in the city first floated a ‘safer drug consumption room’ in 2016. It failed to get off the ground as the UK Home Office under the Conservatives said they would not allow people to break the law to feed habits.

The usual wrangle between Edinburgh and London continued for years with Downing Street suggesting Scotland could, if it wanted, use its discretion to allow these injecting rooms to go ahead.

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The stalemate ended when Scotland’s most senior prosecutor issued a landmark decision that it would not be in the public interest to arrest those using such a facility.

One expert has told me this new concept is unlikely to lead to an overall reduction in deaths across Scotland. Another described it as an expensive vanity project. Supporters clearly disagree.

The question is what does success look like?

The big test will be if there is a spike in crime around the building and how it will work alongside law enforcement given drug dealers know exactly where to find their clients now.

It is not disputed this is a radical approach – and other cities across Britain will be watching closely.

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