Another Disaster : Woman, 30, killed by falling tree branch as Britain is battered by 60m
Blustery: Holiday makers brave the weather on West Sands beach in West Sussex. Winds of up to 60mph are expected in some parts of Britain
Wet weather: A woman was killed when a tree branch fell on her as she walked through Kew Gardens in yesterday's downpour (file picture)
Windswept: The strong gusts caused problems for walkers with umbrellas in West Sussex
Making a splash: Two children play about in the water at Lyme Regis (left) while a girl finds a good way to keep the rain off - by putting a crab bucket over her head (right)
The young woman, believed to be a New Zealander who had been living in London, died yesterday afternoon.
Gary Baker, who was walking nearby, said the branch came ‘crashing down’ from a 60ft tree along a footpath that leads to the Orangery restaurant in the botanic gardens, in South-West London.
‘There was a bang and I jumped around at what sounded like three or four gunshots,’ he said. ‘I looked and could see what remained of the branch.
Summer is over: Parts of Britain have basked in warm temperatures in the mid-20s during September, but the fine weather was nowhere to be seen this weekend
Playtime: The unpleasant weather didn't stop everyone having fun on the beach at Lyme Regis, Dorset
Autumn arrives: Day trippers at Lyme Regis, Dorset, put up their umbrellas as they take a stroll along the seafront
Mr Baker, a telecoms manager, said: ‘I heard someone else saying it was like a bolt of lightning. But I didn’t see any, it was not that sort of weather.
‘There appeared to be at least another couple who were with her, dressed in similar clothes, but they did not say very much. It was a massive shock.’
A spokesman for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew said: ‘We can confirm a tragic accident at Kew Gardens this afternoon when a falling tree branch resulted in a fatality.
‘We are currently working with police and next of kin are being informed.
‘We cannot comment further at this stage but our deepest sympathy is with family and friends.’
Patriotic: Union flag umbrellas shield these walkers from the rain as they stroll along Lambeth Bridge during a morning downpour in central London
Dull: Even the majestic Palace of Westminster looked a little gloomy in the background as dark clouds descended over London
Retail therapy: Shoppers in London's Oxford Street battled to retain control of their umbrellas in strong winds
Blowing a gale: A shopper's umbrella is turned inside-out by the strong winds on Oxford Street in central London
Undeterred: Visitors, many taking cover under umbrellas, queued in the rain for four hours for the chance to see inside The Gherkin during the Open House London event
Popular destination: The weather did not stop hundreds of people queuing to look inside The Gherkin
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed officers were called to the scene and said the matter may be referred to the Health and Safety Executive.
There will be little let-up in the miserable conditions today. Yesterday’s relentless rain looks likely to continue as it moves up towards the North, accompanied by gusts of up to 60mph.
The Environment Agency issued several flood alerts for the South West and South East last night and said further warnings were likely for river and surface water flooding.
Drivers were also told to prepare for difficult driving conditions, and the agency issued a yellow ‘be aware’ warning for England, Wales and southern Scotland.
This evening the downpours will make way for gales strong enough to knock down trees, with the worst expected in eastern Scotland.
Soggy: Poor driving conditions along Brighton seafront as heavy rain and strong winds batter the South Coast
Warning: The Environment Agency prepared to issue dozens of flood alerts as a recent spell of fine weather came to an end
Awful: Motorists on the A12 at Danbury, Chelmsford, in Essex, faced terrible driving conditions as the rain hammered down
Poor visibility: A red bus joins traffic on the A12 in Essex as drivers contend with miserable conditions on the roads
Poor visibility: Motorists make their way through heavy rain on the M5 near Bristol
Rotten luck: A car breaks down at the side of the M5 as motorists contend with heavy autumnal rain
Daily Mail
Posted by Editor
on 11:20.
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