Tributes paid to ‘much loved’ headteacher killed after tree fell on car
Tributes have been paid to a popular primary school headteacher who died after a falling tree hit his car as Storm Arwen battered Britain.
Married father-of-four Francis Langan, believed to be in his 40s, is thought to be the first person to perish in the treacherous weather conditions.
Mr Langan was travelling near Antrim, Northern Ireland, when his car was struck on Friday, as the storm unleashed almost 100mph winds – triggering major disruption including road closures, train delays and power cuts across the UK.
The headteacher, who spent several years leading St Mary’s School in Maghera, Co Londonderrry, lost his mother only eight weeks earlier in a double tragedy for the family, parish priest, Fr Paddy Doherty, told the Belfast Telegraph.
A second man from Lancaster who has not yet been named died after being crushed by a tree in Ambleside around 11pm, Cumbria Police said last night.
A statement issued by St Mary’s School read: ‘It is with great pain and sadness this evening that I have to inform you of the untimely death of our much loved principal Mr Lagan.
‘May his gentle soul rest in peace.’
SDLP politician, Patsy McGlone, said the family are ‘well known and respected’ in the area, adding that Mr Langan’s death will have a ‘wide ripple effect’ through the town and will ‘affect the community, the pupils and the teaching staff.’
The devastating storm prompted the Met Office to issue a rare red wind warning for parts of the north-east of England on Friday, as gusts reached 98mph in Brizlee Wood, Northumberland.
The red alert has since expired, however, amber and yellow warnings remain in place for large sections of the country, the forecaster said.
A yellow warning stretching across central England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is expected to last until 6pm this evening, with gales set to exceed 70mph.
And the Met Office has now issued a yellow weather warning for ice from 5pm tonight until 11am on Sunday morning across large parts of the nation.
People have been urged to be wary of travelling on Saturday as train networks nationwide reported severe disruption.
A barn was blown onto a track close to Polmont near Falkirk in Scotland, disrupting services between Edinburgh and Glasgow and Dunblane and Sterling.
Services between Newcastle and Edinburgh were also cancelled, while some passengers were also warned not to travel north of York due to ‘significant damage’.
South Western Railway said disruption was likely due to ‘multiple trees and obstructions’ blocking the railway.
Meanwhile Dorset reported severe road closures with lorries and cars pictured trapped by snowfall, as authorities deployed ploughs in some areas.
The storm also plunged people into darkness with more than 55,000 customers suffering power cuts, largely in Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear, according to the Northern Powergrid.
Scores of homes in Scotland, Cumbria and Lancashire were also affected.
The Met Office believes the worst of the weather has now passed, with things due to ‘start to fizzle out over Saturday’, said forecaster Marco Petagna.
But the cold snap is set to stay, with icy conditions expected in the north-east and north-west of England, together with the East and West Midlands, until Monday.
Snow warnings will remain across England, including the southeast.
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