Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Heavy snow disrupts UK travel; three boys die after falling into lake

The incident came as the UK was hit by heavy snow and freezing conditions, causing major travel disruption.

Heavy snow disrupts UK travel; three boys die after falling into lake

Heavy snowfall blanketed parts of Britain on Monday, disrupting airports, train networks and roads, and three young boys died after falling into an ice-covered lake as the country recorded its coldest night of the year so far.

Parts of London's underground network were suspended or faced delays, while motorways were gridlocked due to snow. London's Gatwick and Stansted airports warned flight schedules could be disrupted.


The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice in London and south-east England, with ice and fog warnings in other parts of England and the whole of Northern Ireland.

Temperatures dropped below -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) in northern Scotland, with the Met Office confirming it was the coldest night of the year. Further warnings in Scotland and north-east England for potential disruption caused by weather will start at midnight on Tuesday.

Britain's National Grid NG.L issued a notification to prepare two winter contingency coal plants, but later cancelled the standby notices as higher nuclear output and wind speeds reduced the chance of energy shortages.

The snow caused problems for commuters and holidaymakers at the start of a fortnight when rail workers and border officials plan industrial action.

Several train operators advised customers not to travel, while emergency services said it was important people take care in the potentially hazardous conditions.

Three boys died and a fourth - aged six - was in critical condition after they fell into an ice-covered lake in Solihull, central England, on Sunday afternoon, as emergency services continued to search the lake to check if anyone else had fallen in.

"The boy's deaths are a tragedy beyond words," Richard Stanton from the local fire and rescue service told a news conference.

"Yesterday's incident is a stark reminder to us all of the dangers of open water, especially during the winter months."

(REUTERS)

More For You

China pledges to be a good friend and partner to Bangladesh

Xi Jinping

China pledges to be a good friend and partner to Bangladesh

THE Chinese president, Xi Jinping, last Friday (28) pledged deeper cooperation with his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad Yunus in a meeting that came as Dhaka seeks new friends to offset frosty ties with India.

Yunus took charge of Bangladesh last August after the toppling of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to New Delhi after a student-led uprising.

Keep ReadingShow less
Milton-Keynes

Eyewitnesses described hearing shouting before the shooting

iStock

Man shot dead by police outside Milton Keynes railway station

A MAN was shot dead by police outside Milton Keynes Central station after reports that he was carrying a firearm.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) said officers were called to the station at 12:55, where they challenged a suspect carrying a knife. The man moved towards officers before police fired at him.

Keep ReadingShow less
EXCLUSIVE: Eastern Eye wins press freedoms to help judges

SCRUTINY: The tribunal’s favourable verdict is an important win for accountability, say current and retired Asian judges (Pic credit: Getty Images/Leon Neal)

EXCLUSIVE: Eastern Eye wins press freedoms to help judges

A tribunal has ordered the body which appoints judges in England and Wales to disclose records it refused to give to Eastern Eye.

The decision is a major victory for press freedoms because it forces the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to become more open and transparent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sunita-Williams-Reuters

Sunita Williams was part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission and had been stranded in space for over nine months. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters)

India looks amazing from space, says Sunita Williams

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams described India as "amazing" from space and expressed her intention to visit her "father's home country" to share her experiences on space exploration.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she responded to a question about how India appeared from space and the possibility of collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Keep ReadingShow less
british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less