Biker hurt and trees uprooted as storm batters region (From York Press)

Biker hurt and trees uprooted as storm batters region

9:40am Tuesday 13th September 2011 in News By Jennifer Bell , jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk

A MOTORYCLIST was injured, a section of York city centre and five parks were shut and trees across North Yorkshire were uprooted as severe winds battered Britain.

Police cordoned off part of Pavement, in York, yesterday morning after a branch of a tree outside St Crux Parish Hall near Shambles cracked.

Officers feared it could break and fall, injuring a member of the public.

City of York Council also decided to shut Clarence Gardens, Glen Gardens, Hull Road Park, Rowntree Park and West Bank Park due to high winds.

A tree was uprooted in Rowntree Park.

A 60-year-old man was also taken to hospital after a tree crashed through the roof of the car he was travelling in yesterday afternoon.

One person had escaped the car before firefighters arrived at the junction of Strensall Road and Towthorpe Road shortly after 3.30pm.

They removed the vehicle’s roof to free the man before he was taken to hospital, a fire service spokesman said. A tree branch also hit a car and damaged a house in Easingwold.

Most of North Yorkshire faced winds of between 45mph and 60mph yesterday, with the wind speed reaching as high as 70mph in more exposed areas, meaning The Met Office severe weather warning map put the region on “amber” alert, warning people to “be prepared”.

North Yorkshire Police said they had received a number of calls related to the weather, including 33 incidents to do with fallen trees.

They included a huge tree on Helmsley Road which was uprooted and fell over, blocking the road. A large tree was also blown down at Knayton near Thirsk, between Hillside Caravan Park and Kennel Farm in Moor Road.

In Stokesley, at Tanton Bridge, a farmer used a chain saw and tractor to break an uprooted tree up and remove it from the road.

A fallen tree weighing five tonnes blocked the B6265 at Hebden, near Skipton.

A 24-year-old man was also taken to York Hospital with back injuries after he was knocked off his motorbike by a gust of wind on the A59 at Moor Monkton.

His injuries are not believed to be life threatening. North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was also called out to a number of incidents due to high wind, including a loose panel on a roof in Barlby Road in Selby.

On the East Coast Mainline, there were reported delays of about an hour from services between York and Edinburgh. The Met Office issued a rare, near-nationwide, weather alert yesterday as the remnants of Hurricane Katia crossed the Atlantic and hit parts of Britain.

Power to thousands of homes, shops and business across central England were blacked out in the morning when the hurricane winds damaged overhead power lines.

The second stage of the Tour of Britain was also cancelled for safety reasons due to high winds across yesterday’s planned competition route in Cumbria and Lancashire Ports across Britain were battered by huge waves leading to the cancellation of ferries.

Parts of East Yorkshire were also on alert as the Environment Agency issued a flood warning on the north sea coast between Bridlington and Barmston.

High winds were expected to continue today before petering out on Wednesday. Homeowners were warned to check for loose tiles and bring garden furniture indoors to help prevent flying debris.