Category Archives: Wales

Tornado warning issued as 90mph Storm Isha hits UK

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Forecasters warn of life-threatening gusts in coastal areas as weather causes travel disruption across country

A tornado warning has been issued across parts of Britain as Storm Isha takes hold, with potentially life-threatening gusts and travel disruption expected into Monday.

A “tornado watch” zone was issued for Northern Ireland as well as parts of Scotland and northern England by the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (Torro) on Sunday afternoon. That means a “strong tornado” is possible in those regions.

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UK weather: severe wind warnings as Storm Isha set to wreak travel chaos

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Damage to buildings and flying debris expected as country set to be battered by wind and rain

Storm Isha is set to batter “everybody” in the UK with wind and rain during a “rare” weather cycle, forecasters say.

Winds of up to 80mph will swoop in later on Sunday, potentially causing power cuts and loss of mobile phone signal, while roads and bridges are likely to be shut and transport services could face delays and cancellations in some areas.

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Port Talbot steelworks owners expected to confirm blast furnace shutdown

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Union representatives protest over ‘crushing blow’ to workers and industry, with 3,000 jobs at risk

The owners of the Port Talbot steelworks are expected to confirm the shutdown of its blast furnaces on Friday morning, putting almost 3,000 jobs at risk.

Trade union representatives have gathered outside the gates of the works in south Wales to protest against the decision, which members have said will be a “crushing blow” to workers and UK steelmaking.

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Tata Steel to shut down Port Talbot blast furnaces, putting 3,000 jobs at risk

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Firm rejects union plan, leaving UK on course to become only major economy unable to make steel from scratch

The owners of Port Talbot steelworks have rejected a trade union plan designed to keep its blast furnaces running, putting nearly 3,000 jobs at risk and leaving the UK on course to become the only major economy unable to make steel from scratch.

In what one union said would be a “crushing blow” to workers and UK steelmaking, Port Talbot’s parent company, the Indian-owned Tata Steel, told workers’ representatives that it could no longer afford to continue production at the loss-making plant in south Wales while it completed a four-year transition plan to greener production.

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Social media built narrative that Christopher Kapessa’s death was racist killing, say police

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Suggestions that 13-year-old was pushed into river by schoolmate led to online comparisons with Stephen Lawrence murder

A senior police officer has raised concerns that a “narrative” was built up suggesting the death of a black boy allegedly pushed into a Welsh river by a schoolmate was a racist killing.

Det Ch Insp Matt Powell, who led the police investigation into 13-year-old Christopher Kapessa’s death, said comparisons to Stephen Lawrence’s murder on social media led to tensions rising in the community and meant the suspect had to be given protection.

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Update law on computer evidence to avoid Horizon repeat, ministers urged

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Critics say assumption in English and Welsh law that computers are ‘reliable’ reverses usual burden of proof in criminal cases

Ministers need to “immediately” update the law to acknowledge that computers are fallible or risk a repeat of the Horizon scandal, legal experts say.

In English and Welsh law, computers are assumed to be “reliable” unless proven otherwise. But critics of this approach say this reverses the burden of proof normally applied in criminal cases.

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UK weather: England remains on flood alert as temperatures dip

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Majority of flood warnings in south of England and Midlands, with some snow flurries overnight

More than 100 flood warnings remain in place after last week’s Storm Henk deluge as large parts of the UK endured a cold, frosty morning.

The Environment Agency (EA) said there were 126 flood warnings in England where flooding is expected, including a flood warning on the River Thames south-west of London in Wraysbury.

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UK weather: Storm Henk flooding misery to continue beyond weekend

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1,800 properties estimated to have flooded in England, as forecasters warn of colder weather on the way

The misery and chaos caused by flooding in England is set to continue until at least Monday, according to authorities.

In its latest update, the Environment Agency estimated that more than 1,800 properties had flooded after the heavy, intense downpours brought by Storm Henk.

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Tintern Abbey excavation suggests poor people were later buried alongside lords

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Archaeologists surprised to find graves of ordinary locals in place known as final resting place of rich and powerful

In the heyday of the wonderful church, it was used as the final resting place for the rich and powerful: high-ranking clergy, wealthy landowners, lords who guarded the borderlands.

But excavation work carried out at Tintern Abbey has found that after the gothic masterpiece fell into ruin following the dissolution of the monasteries, ordinary local people took advantage of the chance to bury their dead within the sacred – and beautiful – grounds.

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UK weather: Storm Henk triggers more than 300 flood warnings in England

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Train operators say services face delays and cancellations after rain and strong winds batter UK

More than 300 flood warnings are in place across England as travellers face transport delays, with train services struggling to get back on track after rain and strong winds from Storm Henk lashed large parts of the UK.

The Environment Agency said on Wednesday there were 368 active alerts in England for possible flooding, 322 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected and, in Northampton, one danger-to-life severe flood warning.

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UK weather: Storm Henk hits parts of south as Met Office issues warning

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Damage to buildings and floods likely as first named storm of 2024 sweeps across southern Britain

Commuters faced misery on roads and rail networks and people were told to prepare for flooding as the first named storm of 2024 – Henk – swept across parts of southern Britain, bringing winds of up to 80mph (128km/h).

About 2,000 homes in Cornwall experienced power cuts and trees were brought down by the wind. People were asked to stay away from coastal areas hit by the storm and in some areas police advised people not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

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‘Widely wet’ start to new year expected with flood warnings across UK

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Met Office issues yellow warnings, as heavy rain expected in Wales and strong winds across England

A “widely wet” start to the new year is expected for many areas, with heavy rainfall predicted for parts of the UK and dozens of flood warnings in place.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain and wind for large parts of England and Wales on Tuesday. The heaviest rain is more likely across parts of Wales, the Midlands towards eastern England and Yorkshire while gusts could reach 60mph in coastal areas or 40 to 50mph elsewhere, the forecaster said.

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Meet the Outlaw escaping from prisons in protest against indefinite detention

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Joe Outlaw is one of 2,921 inmates still on IPP sentences, which were abolished in 2012

It should be impossible to escape from a high-security prison, doubly so for prisoners held on the segregation unit, who are allowed only to exercise in a caged yard.

But on 21 June, the summer solstice and the hottest day of the year at that point, Joe Outlaw managed to break through the cage and get on to the roof of HMP Frankland, a Durham prison dubbed “Monster mansion” due to many of its inmates being convicted murderers, terrorists and sex offenders.

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Judicial review hearing granted over XL bully ban

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From Sunday it is illegal to rehome, sell or transfer ownership of the dogs in England and Wales

A judicial review hearing has been granted for campaigners seeking to overturn the UK government’s ban on XL bully dogs, with owners of the animals now subject to tight restrictions as the legislation comes into force.

From Sunday, it is illegal to rehome, sell or transfer ownership of XL bully dogs in England and Wales, and they must be muzzled and kept on a leash when in public, with animal rescue centres fearing they could be forced to euthanise hundreds of dogs.

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All Eurostar trains into and out of London cancelled due to flooding

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Southeastern trains on same route also affected, while windy conditions expected to sweep UK

Thousands of travellers faced disruption to their new year plans after all Eurostar trains in and out of London were cancelled on Saturday after “unprecedented” flooding in a tunnel on the line.

There were no high-speed services running between London St Pancras international and Ebbsfleet international in Kent on Saturday, and Southeastern trains on the same route were also suspended. A total of 41 Eurostar trains were cancelled.

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UK weather: high winds to batter coasts of Wales and southern England

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New Year’s Eve revellers told to prepare for near-freezing conditions as parts of UK recover from Storm Gerrit

Gusts of up to 75mph (120km/h) are expected to batter the coasts of southern England and Wales this weekend as other parts of the UK continue to recover from the ravages of Storm Gerrit.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for high winds in the south-east, south-west, East Anglia and Wales from 11am on Saturday until 3am on Sunday, New Year’s Eve.

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Tornado damages homes in Greater Manchester as Storm Gerrit batters Britain

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Thousands of homes without power and rail travel in chaos after strong winds, heavy snow and rain

A major incident has been declared in Greater Manchester, where a “localised tornado” has swept through the Tameside area, damaging about 100 properties and leaving thousands of homes without power.

Storm Gerrit, the latest named storm to reach the UK, has also caused heavy snow, high winds and rain in parts of Scotland, where fallen trees, branches and other debris have brought down power lines.

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UK weather: major incident declared in Scotland due to Storm Gerrit

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Ploughs and tractors deployed to rescue cars and jackknifed lorry from A9 and surrounding roads

A major incident has been declared in parts of Scotland where drivers are stranded in blizzard conditions after the arrival of Storm Gerrit.

Six ploughs and three tractors have been deployed in an attempt to rescue cars and a jackknifed lorry from the A9 and surrounding roads in the Scottish Highlands.

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‘It just grabbed her’: Izzy, a beloved terrier-spaniel cross, killed by XL bully

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Lee Parkin intervened in vain in 20-minute attack as he walked his dog near his home in Doncaster

Lee Parkin had been the proud owner of his terrier-spaniel cross Izzy for nearly 10 years when he stepped out for what would be his last walk with his beloved pet.

He was walking Izzy near his home in Doncaster when an XL bully pounced on her, mounting a 20-minute attack and ultimately killing the dog in front of Parkin, who desperately intervened in vain.

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Over 5,500 unpaid work orders not completed after two years in England and Wales

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Exclusive: Orders should be done within a year of sentence as experts blame ‘chronic understaffing’ in probation service

More than 5,500 unpaid work orders that form part of community sentences have not been completed more than two years after being handed down, with experts blaming “chronic understaffing” in the probation service.

Ordinarily the orders, which can be for between 40 and 300 hours, should be completed within 12 months of sentence. Figures show there are more than 15,100 unpaid work orders not completed in that time in England and Wales,

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