St Jude storm gusts and gales to continue for another month

A 100-year old tree smashed down onto a bus in Wood Green, north London [WENN]

Britain is “in the firing line” for a month of devastating gales and torrential downpours raging on towards Decem­ber.

The onslaught is due to start at the weekend with gusts of up to 90mph.

And this time the North will be worst hit after the South was caught in the eye of Monday morning’s storm which caused widespread chaos and is expected to leave a bill of around £1billion.

The death toll from St Jude – the worst storm in more than 10 years – stands at six with widespread damage.

A couple who died after a building collapsed in Hounslow, west London, were named as IT contractor Suhail Akhtar, 46, and his girlfriend Dorota Kolasinska, 35.

Mr Akhtar’s friend Sheldon Hawkshaw, 42, said: “He was a go-to guy. He had time for everyone, he always made us laugh and will be sorely missed.”

Scenes of carnage in East London yesterday morning as scaffolding is blown into the street [PA]

Further gusts and severe gales in excess of 70-80mph are also likely to bring further disruption to the country

James Madden

A car lies crushed beneath a tree in Hornsey, north London [PA]

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