Man killed by falling tree branch as 78mph winds prompt UK-wide yellow warning

A homeless man in his 40s was killed in Blackpool early Monday when a tree branch fell on his tent amid strong winds that produced gusts of up to 78mph and prompted a Met Office yellow wind warning covering most of England and Wales.

Lancashire Police said officers were called to Revoe Park, Central Drive, shortly before 5 a.m. to reports that a tree branch had struck a man in a tent. Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives cordoned off a section of the park near a play area while enquiries continue to trace his next of kin; police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed to HM Coroner.

The 26-hour Met Office yellow warning came into force at 8 p.m. on Sunday and runs until 6 p.m. Monday, with forecasters advising that most people in the warning area could see west or south-westerly gusts of 45 to 55mph and exposed locations reach about 70mph. The highest gusts recorded overnight were 78mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight and 66mph at Aberdaron in Gwynedd, north Wales.

Local authorities and transport operators reported widespread disruption. The M48 Severn Bridge was closed in both directions, and the A628 Woodhead Pass in the Peak District was shut to high-sided vehicles. Fallen trees blocked several rail lines, including the Southeastern route between Dartford and Hither Green in Kent, the Transport for Wales line between Tondu and Maesteg, and the South Western Railway line between Hamble and Bursledon in Hampshire. Transport for Wales also suspended the Swansea to Llanwrtyd line for the day with buses replacing trains.

Power outages were reported across the country, with about 150 properties affected in Chagford, Devon, and around 460 homes without electricity in Wales, including 123 in Cardiff and 90 in Swansea. Flooding from heavy rain submerged cars at the Cwmbwrla roundabout in Swansea. P&O Ferries reported delays to cross-Channel services between Dover and Calais and DFDS cancelled two sailings.

Several public attractions and green spaces closed as a precaution. Kew Gardens closed from 1 p.m., Whipsnade Zoo and Dartmoor Zoo closed for the day, Royal Parks restricted access to vulnerable areas including the children’s playground at Hyde Park and warned visitors not to shelter under trees. The Hampstead Heath bathing ponds were closed, woodland and National Trust sites in some areas shut their gates, the Southend Pier walkway was closed, and Ingoldisthorpe Primary School in Norfolk was temporarily shut to staff and pupils after a falling tree brought down a power line.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said the winds would ease slowly from the west later Monday afternoon and into the evening but warned of a "windy and pretty unsettled start to the week" with a mix of sunny spells and heavy blustery showers. He cautioned that wet ground from recent weeks could lead to surface water and localized flooding as further periods of wind and rain are expected into the middle of the week.

Forecasters said the current system had not met the threshold to be named; the first storm of the season will be named Storm Amy if criteria are met by a subsequent system. The Met Office advised the public to secure loose outside items, check for travel updates and be cautious in coastal areas.

Emergency services and local authorities urged people to take care during journeys and report fallen trees or damaged power lines to the relevant operators. Rail and road operators recommended that travellers check live updates before setting out, and some services remained subject to delays or replacement buses as crews worked to clear debris and make routes safe.

Lancashire Police reiterated that their investigation into the death in Blackpool is ongoing. "Despite the best efforts of medical personnel, very sadly the man – aged in his 40s – was pronounced deceased at the scene," a force spokesman said, adding that enquiries to trace next of kin were continuing and the incident is not being treated as suspicious.