Storm Darragh Brings Significant Disruption to North-West England

Significant disruption has been observed throughout the north-west of England due to Storm Darragh. A fatality occurred when a tree struck a van on the A59 close to Longton, Lancashire, resulting in the death of a man in his 40s. Concurrently, flight operations at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport experienced postponements. Numerous reports indicated fallen trees across the area. Furthermore, the scheduled Merseyside derby, a historic football match between Everton and Liverpool, which was set to be the final one at Goodison Park, was cancelled. Across the United Kingdom, wind speeds reached maximums of 93mph (150 kmh). Despite the conditions, rugby personality Kevin Sinfield successfully completed the concluding segment of his 230-mile fundraising endeavor. This run supports individuals affected by motor neurone disease (MND). His ‘Running Home for Christmas’ challenge, spanning a week, involves him running from Manchester to his residence in Saddleworth. Additional events planned for the region were also cancelled, such as a garden event scheduled for Saturday at Preston’s Avenham and Miller Parks. However, this event was still anticipated to proceed on Sunday. Meteorological predictions indicate that yellow and amber warnings for powerful winds will persist until Sunday morning. Subsequent to the Merseyside derby’s cancellation, Everton’s captain, Seamus Coleman, extended an invitation to the club’s training ground for a teenage supporter who had traveled from Australia specifically for the game. The 15-year-old fan, Mackenzie, had expended his savings to realize his aspiration of witnessing an Everton versus Liverpool match at Goodison Park, prior to the team’s move to a new stadium in 2025. In a video communication, Coleman expressed his hope that this gesture would “make up for some of the disappointment”, further stating: “I am sure you will be very disappointed today – we all are, all of us Evertonians are, we were all looking forward to game.” Listeners can access selected content from BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and engage with BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story submissions are accepted via email at northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk and through Whatsapp at 0808 100 2230. Copyright for this content is held by BBC, 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding the BBC’s policy on external linking is available.