Woman dies as Storm Doris wreaks chaos across UK

A woman has died and a child has been left with life-threatening injuries after Storm Doris battered parts of Britain with gale-force winds and heavy snow.

The 29-year-old woman was hit by what was described as wooden debris "about the size of a coffee table" as she walked through Wolverhampton city centre just before midday on Thursday.

She died at the scene after suffering "very serious head injuries".

West Midlands Police said her family "have been informed and are being supported at this tragic time".

In Milton Keynes, a girl suffered life-threatening injuries after a ceiling collapsed in a school sports hall.

There were about 40 people in hall at Southwood Middle School when an 8ft-by-5ft section of the ceiling collapsed.

Thames Valley Police acting superintendent Vince Grey said: "It is possible that the collapse of the ceiling was caused by the adverse weather conditions that the country has been experiencing overnight and into today.

"However, we will be conducting a joint-investigation with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service to determine the cause."

Two other people were also left with head injuries.

In London a man was left in a "serious condition" in a hospital, following reports of "debris falling from the roof of a building" by Victoria Station.

In Stoke-on-Trent a woman in her 60s was taken to hospital for a "serious head injury" after being hit by a carport roof.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "Crews were told the roof fell down and hit the woman, which
subsequently caused her to collide with a wall."

As the worst of the storm cleared to the east on Thursday night, Doris is forecast to leave a trail of ice, wintry showers and a 7C plunge in temperatures to around 3C (37F) in the south.

The Met Office has warned drivers to be wary of ice on Friday morning in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and North West England.

Storm Doris caused widespread damage and travel chaos on Thursday as it underwent "explosive cyclogenesis" - transforming it into a "weather bomb".

Winds of up to 75mph were reported in Ireland where some 37,000 households were without power due to more than 900 faults, said ESB Networks.

London Euston was among the railway stations dealing with delays and cancellations, with Virgin Trains advising passengers to postpone their travel until Friday due to the storm.

Earlier in the day, lines were blocked between Lockerbie and Carlisle due to flooding and an electricity failure closed lines between Crewe and Warrington Bank Quay.

An electricity failure at Liverpool Lime Street station caused delays of up to 60 minutes.

Outdoor filming on TV soap Coronation Street was brought to a halt and rescheduled after Storm Doris paid the cobbled street set a visit.

How Storm Doris affected the UK on Thursday:

:: Wales

The UK's top wind speed of 94mph was recorded in Capel Curig, North Wales, followed by 82mph in Aberdaron, also in North Wales.

Amber warnings for strong winds, heavy rain and snow were put in place for North Wales.

:: Scotland and North East

Up to 15cm of snow was forecast to fall across parts of Scotland and northeast England.

Weather warnings were upgraded to amber across Scotland's central belt, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Tayside and Fife.

Some schools in Scotland were closed and ferry services have been disrupted.

:: North West, Yorkshire, Midlands and the East

The Midlands, the North West and the East were covered by amber warnings for strong wind and heavy rain, with gusts of 60 to 70mph likely, and up to 80mph on coasts and hills.

The North West Ambulance Service attended 10 weather-related injuries, including a seven-year-old boy hit by a sign in Manchester.

A man in his 60s was injured when a tree fell on his car in Crosby, Merseyside and two people were taken to hospital after their car was struck by a tree on the A49 in Shropshire.

:: The rest of England

Highways England said strong winds closed the A282 at Dartford Crossing, the A14 in Suffolk and the M48 Severn Bridge.

London was also covered by an amber warning for strong wind and heavy rain.

London Fire Brigade attended 104 weather-related incidents between 8am and 3pm, including a trampoline that blew from a garden onto a roundabout in Eltham and a woman injured after a tree fell on her car in Hartley Down, Purley.

Strong winds and poor weather saw a "10% reduction" in Heathrow's flight schedule, a spokesman said.