Storm Desmond brings Malham Cove waterfall back to life for the first time in hundreds of years

Independent

The stunning cascade is believed to be England's highest waterfall - while it lasts

• Lizzie Dearden
• @lizziedearden
• Monday 7 December 2015

Storm Desmond has brought a waterfall back to life at a famous beauty spot for the first time in living memory.

While they last, the falls at Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales are believed to be the highest in England, thundering off a cliff 260ft (80m high).

Local residents and tourists gathered on Sunday to see the phenomenon, which is believed to be the first time the falls have flowed in hundreds of years.

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Peter HaII @jojosh23

Don't look down!! Malham Cove with waterfall

11:26 AM - 6 Dec 2015

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Victoria ECY @EdenCottage

Malham Cove in Yorkshire.. With water pouring over for the first time in living memory (apparently!). #StormDesmond

12:23 PM - 6 Dec 2015

Stu Gledhill, who filmed the scene, wrote on YouTube: “Talking to two neighbours who are both around 80 and have both lived in Malhamdale all their lives.

 

"They have never seen this happen before, and some suggestions are that it could be nearly 200 years since it was last recorded.”



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Independent

Storm Desmond: Hundreds made homeless by record-breaking rainfall as 46 severe flood warnings put in place

Figures suggest more than 340mm of rain fell in 24 hours

• Kate Ng
• Monday 7 December 2015
• A rescue team helps to evacuate people from their homes after Storm Desmond floods Carlisle Getty

Hundreds of people have been made homeless and thousands more left without power by Storm Desmond, which is thought to have broken the rainfall record set in 2009.

46 severe flood warnings remain in place in north-west England, where Cumbria was declared a major incident.

The army has been drafted in to help evacuate people from their homes and rescue those stranded after the river Eden burst its banks at Appleby-in-Westmorland, sweeping away bridges and sinking some properties under a metre of water.

About 350 soldiers were dispatched from the 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment to Carlisle, one of the worst affected towns. A Chinook helicopter and mountain rescue teams were also sent out to assist victims.

11,000 homes in Lancaster have had electricity restored, with 44,000 more expected to have power back by Monday evening.

According to the BBC, provisional figures suggest more than 340mm of rain fell in 24 hours in the Lake District, breaking the record of 316.4mm previously held by Seathwaite, Cumbria, in 2009.



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STORMS UPDATE: Army drafted in to deal with Storm Desmond chaos

Crook O Lune near Lancaster

16:42Sunday 06 December 2015 12:43Saturday 05 December 2015

 

The extent of the devastating flooding from the torrential rain and gale force winds that have hit Lancashire in the last 36 hours is being revealed.
Army trucks have been stationed at a hospital in Lancaster to act as ambulances after flooding cut the city off from the power grid and blocked all but one access route.

Crook O Lune near Lancaster

The hospital has also cancelled all non-emergency operations tomorrow and a number of clinics as emergency services struggle to deal with the scale of the incident.

The north of the county - in particular Lancaster and surrounding areas - has been by far the worst hit.

 

 

From domestic electrical faults to people stuck in cars in flood water, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has been inundated with calls for help.

A spokesperson for the service said this morning: “In the last 24 hours we’ve had approximately 300 calls, and we’ve attended probably 200 incidents.

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Storm Desmond: Homes flooded and thousands without power

• 6 December 2015

Tens of thousands of homes are without power after Storm Desmond caused severe flooding and travel disruption across northern England and parts of Scotland.

Power at about 55,000 homes could be off for "days" following flooding at an electricity substation in Lancaster.

The Army has been evacuating homes in Cumbria and nearly 50 severe flood warnings remain in place.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the government was doing all it can to help people and prevent further damage.

Mr Cameron will chair a meeting of the Cobra contingencies committee on Monday to co-ordinate the emergency response.

"I would like to pay a huge tribute to all those emergency workers and troops who have worked tirelessly to respond to this weekend's events," he said.

"There has been a tremendous response from local communities too, with people taking in families affected by the flooding."

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 Independent

Storm Desmond: Weather sees police declare major incident as severe flooding and 80mph winds lash UK

One man dies as extreme conditions cause homes to be evacuated, disrupt trains and strand drivers

• Lucy White
• Saturday 5 December 2015

Storm Desmond has lashed large areas of England and Scotland as severe flooding and winds of up 80mph caused police to declare a major incident.

More than 30 severe storm warnings – indicating danger to life – were issued in Cumbria and Northumberland, and two severe storm alerts were issued in south-west Scotland as heavy rain continued well into Sunday.

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Man, 90, dies after ‘gust of wind blows him against moving bus’

Homes in the Cumbrian towns of Appleby and Keswick were evacuated and drivers were rescued from stranded cars as flood waters breached defences, submerged streets and disrupted road and rail services.

In London, a 90-year-old man died near Finchley Central station after he was blown into the side of a moving bus by a gust of wind.

The storm also caused disruption in north Wales, Northern Ireland and North Yorkshire, where thousands of homes were left without electricity.

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Environment Pollution - United Kingdom, England, Marlborough [Esso pipeline, Wiltshire] - Oil Leak

Earth Watch Report  -  Environmental Pollution  -  Oil Leak

About 150,000 litres of fuel have contaminated soil close to the River Kennet, just upstream from top public school Marlborough College, pictured, in Wiltshire

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Environment PollutionUnited KingdomEngland, Marlborough [Esso pipeline, Wiltshire]

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RSOE EDIS

Environment Pollution in United Kingdom on Thursday, 15 May, 2014 at 11:05 (11:05 AM) UTC.

Description Up to 150,000 litres of fuel leaked into farmland in Marlborough after thieves drilled through a major Esso pipeline. The attack on the pipeline running through the estate of the late multi-millionaire Robert Sangster in Manton happened on April 2, causing a high risk of an explosion. News of the incident, in which a tapping device was used to break into the pipeline 8ft underground, has only just emerged. It pumps fuel from the Fawley Refinery in Hampshire to a distribution terminal in Birmingham. A hose had been connected to the pipe, which carries a range of fuels, and was then hidden with soil. It was disturbed by a farmer, resulting in the leak. Esso does not yet know how much fuel has leaked but says 150,000 litres would be the worst case scenario. A spokesman said: "The pipeline was quickly repaired and has resumed operation and there is no indication of any impact on human health as a result of the leak. "We remain committed to resolving the situation fully. At the moment we are trying to determine whether there has been a leak and if there has, where the fuel has gone." A 500-metre safety cordon was put into place while the scale of the incident was established and people living nearby moved as a precaution. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service fire engines, from Marlborough, Calne and Devizes, together with an operational support unit and an incident command vehicle from Swindon. A fire crew remained at the scene for 32 hours as a precaution. Police and the fire service said this week that they didn't release details of the incident because they were acting on behalf of the Wiltshire and Swindon Local Resilience Forum, a body including fire, police and ambulance, Wiltshire Council and Public Health England, and it was up to the forum to make the incident public. Town councillors were sent an email marked confidential by town clerk Shelley Parker giving brief details of the incident days afterwards. At a full council meeting on Monday Carl Barber, the Marlborough fire crew manager, told councillors: "It's extremely dangerous. That is an extremely pressurised line at times and it can be a danger."It was brought to our attention by the police as some was seen to be leaking and it did take 32 hours and seven appliances because our attendance was required while they isolated and dealt with the issue." Esso has depressurised the pipeline to limit leaks. It says there is still a quantity of diesel and petrol mixture in a hole approximately 1.4 metres deep on the Manton estate. The firm contacted Action for the River Kennet to identify suitable monitoring points along the river in case of pollution. The Environment Agency is working with Public Health England to evaluate the impact on water courses. An Environment Agency spokesman said: "At present there is no impact to the River Kennet, but we continue to monitor the situation closely." Police in Hampshire are investigating a large quantity of diesel found in a large industrial unit in East Wellow on April 17. It is believed that the tanks found were being filled from a sophisticated system which had tapped into a main fuel line. Two men, aged 32 and 34, from the Salisbury area, were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to steal fuel. They are on bail pending further inquiries. Detectives from Lyndhurst CID in Hampshire are working with other police forces, including Wiltshire, as part of a wider investigation into breaches of fuel lines in the south of England.

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Thieves drill down 8ft into Esso pipeline - and spark major pollution alert at top fishing river

• 150,000 litres of fuel contaminated soil close to River Kennet in Wiltshire

• Thieves drilled underground pipeline causing the leak near fishing spot

• Attack on Esso refinery pipe believed to be first of its kind in Britain
  

By Alun Rees

Published: 19:22 EST, 10 May 2014 | Updated: 19:22 EST, 10 May 2014

Petrol thieves have drilled into an underground pipeline and caused a leak of thousands of litres of fuel next to a popular fishing river, sparking a major environmental alert.

About 150,000 litres of fuel have contaminated soil close to the River Kennet, just upstream from top public school Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

Police are investigating the attack on the Esso refinery pipeline, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

150,000 litres of fuel have contaminated soil close to the River Kennet, pictured, in Wiltshire

A Wiltshire Police source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘We’re used to fuel being stolen from farms by rural criminals but this is quite a step further. Two men have been detained in the Somerset area with a large amount of illicit fuel but at this stage we don’t know if the two incidents are linked.’

The theft was from the Midline pipeline, which carries fuel from the Fawley Refinery near Southampton to the Birmingham Fuels Terminal.

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Britons are being warned they may suffer breathing problems, with parts of the South Coast, West Country, Midlands and South Wales worst affected. As a potentially-lethal cloud of Saharan sand, toxic air and local pollution sat over Britain.

Millions of asthmatics unable to breathe as giant cloud of Saharan sand and toxic air covers Britain in layer of smog

• Air pollution set to hit 10/10 due to dust from Sahara mixing with local pollution and toxic air from Europe
• Parts of the South Coast, West Country, Midlands and South Wales are worst affected by the problem
• Dust has been generated from two source areas - one in central Algeria and another in southern Morocco
• Meteorologists say it's 'particularly bad with weather conditions creating "perfect storm" for air pollution'
• Those in affected areas advised to reduce strenuous outdoor exercise, especially if they get a sore throat
• Adults and children with lung problems, heart problems and pensioners should avoid vigorous activity
• Asthma sufferers may have to use inhalers more frequently for a few days until levels drop on Friday
• But the dust does have positive aspects for fish in the Atlantic Ocean and the Brazilian rainforest

By Mark Duell and Fiona Macrae and Ted Thornhill
Published: 18:13 EST, 1 April 2014 | Updated: 10:56 EST, 2 April 2014

Millions of asthmatics were today having trouble breathing as a potentially-lethal cloud of Saharan sand, toxic air and local pollution sat over Britain.
One sufferer said she felt like she had 'a baby elephant sitting on my chest’, while another said her lungs felt like they had ‘cobwebs’ inside them.
Even those without health difficulties have been told by experts to reduce outdoor exercise, with air pollution set to hit 10 out of 10 in some areas.
Britons are being warned they may suffer breathing problems, with parts of the South Coast, West Country, Midlands and South Wales worst affected.
Those in affected areas are advised to reduce the strenuous outdoor exercise they do, especially if they start to suffer from a cough or sore throat.

Protection: A cyclist uses a pollution mask in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, as a potentially-lethal cloud of Saharan sand, toxic air and local pollution sits over Britain

Not a good day for seeing far: A misty bird's eye view of London from the Shard building near London Bridge

Winding river: Air pollution in London this morning as the Government warns people with breathing problems to stay indoors

Distant: The Millennium Dome is shrouded in smog in London, as seen from a viewing gallery in the Orbit sculpture during a tour organised for the media

Defra, the environment department, reported reported rural areas of south-east England as having 'high' levels of pollution as of 3pm today.

Forecasters say pollution levels could reach much higher levels later today, with Defra predicting continuing high levels tomorrow.

Adults and children with lung problems, heart problems and pensioners should avoid vigorous activity today and tomorrow, according to doctors.

And asthmatics are being warned that they could suffer flare-ups, with experts saying they might need to use inhalers more frequently for a few days.

Asthma UK chief executive Kay Boycott issued a warning today many of the 5.4million people who suffer from the breathing condition in Britain.

She said: 'The two thirds of people with asthma who find that air pollution makes their asthma worse will be at an increased risk of an attack.'

Author Emma Cannon, of London, said on Twitter: 'Went for a run yesterday on Embankment - air pollution, sore throat and asthma in bed last night.'

Jenny Henderson added: 'I now know why I feel like I have a baby elephant sitting on my chest this morning… pollution levels... asthma... deep joy - not!'

Protected: Two people wearing anti-pollution masks ride bicycles at Hyde Park Corner in Central London

Tricky visibility: A building crane rises amidst the haze from the effect of high air pollution in London today

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UK widespread storms and flooding. The Aftermath in Pictures

In pictures: Aftermath of storms

Two people were killed on Friday as strong winds and heavy rain hit southern England, adding to problems already caused by widespread storms and flooding.

A freak wave killed an 85-year-old cruise ship passenger in the Channel. Here waves hit the lighthouse and harbour at high tide at Newhaven in Sussex

In central London, mother-of-three Julie Sillitoe, 49, was killed when the taxi she was driving was crushed by falling masonry. Her two passengers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Strong wind and waves batter parts of the south coast, including the East Cliff Pavilion in Folkestone, as thousands of homes are without power.

Waves during high tide at Sunny Sands Beach in Folkestone. High winds are expected to subside during Saturday, after reaching 80mph.

Soldiers help a tree surgeon remove a fallen tree in Egham, west London.

Meanwhile, volunteers from the local community and charities have helped to fill sandbags before they are distributed in Egham following the wettest start to the year for 250 years.


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Pensioner, 85, dies after massive wave batters cruise ship as 80mph storms leave more than 106,000 homes without power

• An elderly cruise ship passenger has died after vessel hit by freak wave in the English Channel

• A taxi driver, Julie Sillitoe, was killed after her car was crushed by falling masonry in central London

• A young pregnant woman and her unborn baby were killed in a car crash in South Wales

• Thirty-two people were rescued from a beachfront restaurant after it was pelted by storm-blown shingle and flooded

• Some 16 severe flood warnings - meaning there is a danger to life - are in place

• Warnings issued for coastal communities from Cornwall to Hampshire, Gloucester and the Thames Valley
  

• Nearly 150 less serious flood warnings and 250 flood alerts were also in place this morning

• Engineers are battling strong winds and rain to restore 106,101 homes that have had their power cut off

• Norman Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim, had to rescue pieces of his decking which were blown on to Hove seafront

• Environment Agency tells Whitehall more properties will be flooded and Thames water levels will rise
  

By Anna Edwards and Wills Robinson
PUBLISHED: 06:26 EST, 15 February 2014 | UPDATED: 15:06 EST, 15 February 2014
An 85-year-old man died yesterday after the 22,000-tonne Marco Polo cruise ship was hit by a freak wave in the English Channel, as more than 106,000 homes - including the Queen's - are without power after winds of up to 80mph cut off electricity.
Water crashed through a window, injuring a number of people. The man was airlifted off the vessel along with a woman in her 70s, but later died. About 10 other people suffered minor injuries and were treated on board.
As howling winds and further downpours battered Britain and killed three people, 32 diners were rescued from a beachfront restaurant after it was pelted by storm-blown shingle and flooded.

Newhaven lighthouse is battered by waves as high winds from the latest winter storm continues

Rough seas pound Brighton Marina, on England's south coast, as more than 140,000 homes are without power following the violent storms

Huge waves engulf Newhaven harbour. Two people have died in the last day during the storms which have pounded the country

The Environment Agency and emergency services have battled to cope with worst winter storms in living memory. Coastal towns like Southsea, Hampshire, (today) have been engulfed by huge waves

One man risked his life by standing on a jetty in Old Portsmouth in Southsea, Hampshire, as the waves surged over the walls and flooded the coast

Large waves smash against the lighthouse and harbour at high tide at Newhaven in Sussex

One man died on the cruise liner 'Marco Polo' when a huge freak wave crashed through a window

The weather has also claimed three other lives. A woman died after falling masonry crushed the roof of her car, and a young pregnant woman and her unborn baby were killed as they drove through atrocious weather conditions in South Wales.
Police in Scotland are also probing whether a mother-of-two may have frozen to death after being locked outside her house.
The woman, 20, and her boyfriend were travelling on the A465 Heads of the Valleys road when they collided with another car at 11pm on Friday night.

Firemen and paramedics freed the woman from the wreckage and she was taken to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, but doctors were unable to save her and her unborn baby.
Minicab driver Julie Silltoe, 49, died after a chunk of masonry fell from a building and crushed the roof of the car she was in, in Holborn, central London.

Avril Ramsay, 48, was spotted lying in her garden in Edinburgh by a neighbour but she died in the street shortly after paramedics arrived on Thursday morning.

The weather was so devastating it ripped up roads and demolished buildings. Norman Cook, the DJ known as Fatboy Slim, had to rescue the remains of his decking which was ripped from his home during the storm and dragged on to Hove seafront.

And forecasters have warned for another 2.5cm of rainfall today and plummeting temperatures as the winds and rain finally ease off in time for Sunday.

Norman Cook, the DJ known as Fatboy Slim, had to rescue the remains of his decking which was ripped from his home and dragged on to Hove seafront

Soldiers are putting up a dam in Staines to redirect water away from housing into fields

Soldiers from 2nd Royal Tank Regiment and The Gurkhas installing Geodesign flood barriers in Staines, which have been brought in from Sweden to help control flood waters

Environment agency staff move a pipe to help manage the flooding situation in Chertsey, southern England. Agencies and emergency services have been inundated with calls for help

Dutch engineers install the remaining pumps at Dunball near Bridgewater in Somerset to help clear the Somerset Levels of the flood water

These particular pumps are being used to pump the water out of the King Sedgemoor Drain and into the River Parrett

The Met Office said that winds reached speeds of 80mph in The Mumbles, south Wales and the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, last night, while across southern parts of England, winds reached 65-75mph.
But there will be some respite, as winds and rain are forecast to ease off. The wettest place in Britain last night was Capel Curig, Wales, which was hit with 54.2mm rain, while the rest of flooded England suffered between 20 and 30mm of rain.
A Met Office forecaster predicted clearer skies for tonight, which will cause temperatures dropping to -2C, meaning thousands will wake up to icy conditions on Sunday morning.

But by the afternoon, there will be spells of sunshine, with temperatures reaching up to 10C. From Tuesday, prolonged dry spells will finally appear, after weeks of rain and storms.
Speaking during a visit to flood-hit Chertsey in Surrey, Prime Minister David Cameron said the relief effort in the next 24 hours would be 'vital' as river levels were set to rise again.

He told Sky News: 'This is a vast national effort where we're bringing all the resources of our country together. What we do in the next 24 hours is vital because tragically the river levels will rise again so every sandbag delivered, every house helped, every flood barrier put in place can make a big difference.

'Tragically these weather events have been hitting community and after community and doing that week after week.'
The approaching calm weather comes after  two people were killed in the last day. A cruise ship passenger died after 80mph winds whipped up freak waves in the English Channel and a woman was killed when part of a building collapsed on to a car in central London.
The Marco Polo, operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), was heading for its home port of Tilbury, Essex, when it was pummelled by the sto

Beach huts lie shattered and twisted after gale force winds broke down a retaining wall at Hove during storms that lashed the south coast

The Army load one tonne bags of aggregate into the river Itchen upstream from Winchester in an attempt to partially dam the river

The Environment Agency said it expects levels on slow responding rivers like the Thames, like the Severn, to stay high for a number of days to come

The Army has been drafted in to help build flood defences in Burghfield, Berkshire in a bid to ward off yet more flooding

At least something good has come out of it! As the rain clears and the sky brightens, a double rainbow appeared over Frating, Essex

Water crashed through a window injuring a number of the 735 passengers, who are mainly British. Apart from the two victims who were airlifted off, a number of passengers received minor injuries and were treated on board.

The vessel, which has been to the Amazon in South America and to the West Indies during its 42-day journey, is due to dock at Tilbury in the early hours of tomorrow.
The company said: 'CMV regrets to advise that earlier today their cruise ship m/s Marco Polo, en-route to her home port of Tilbury from the Azores, was hit by a freak wave during adverse sea conditions in the south western approaches of the English Channel.
'One elderly passenger has died and a further passenger has been airlifted for further shore-side medical assistance. Our thoughts are very much with these passengers and their families during this difficult time.'
A minicab driver has died and a man has been taken to hospital after a building fell on a car in Holborn, central London, the Metropolitan Police said today.
Her passengers, a 25-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, are currently being treated in hospital.

Diners had to be rescued from a seaside cafe after the restaurant was overcome by a strong tidal surge and high winds. Cars parked outside were wrecked after they were washed away

The restaurant windows were shattered and the interior badly damaged by flood water and stones and debris blown up by the high winds on the beach

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