Weekend of storms wreaks havoc

STORMY winds of up to 70 miles per hour over the weekend caused a number of serious injuries, electricity blackouts and were linked to the death of one man.

Locals in Ballybay, Co Monaghan believe a freak gust of wind caught a moped that 82-year-old Robert Carson was pushing and dragged the pensioner into the path of an oncoming lorry. The accident happened at 10.30am on Saturday. Mr Carson, of St Patrick's St, Ballybay, died four hours later in hospital.

Many other people around the country survived serious accidents caused by the strong winds on Saturday, which Met Eireann said were in excess of 70mph in some places.