Two women in their 20s are hospitalised with serious injuries after falling oak tree smashes into private outdoor party as Storm Evert batters south coast with 75mph gales

Two women have been seriously injured after an oak tree smashed into a private outdoor party in Suffolk as Storm Evert wreaks havoc across the country with 75mph gales and torrential rain.

The woman, in their 20s, have been hospitalised, one with spinal and head injuries and another with pelvic and arm injuries after the incident near Heveningham.

It comes amid chaos as the storm swept in from the Atlantic today, causing festivals to push back their opening times, ripping up tents and forcing campers to leave amid the horrendous conditions.

Storm Evert battered Britain with the Met Office warning it 'will get worse before it gets better' - as tents and awnings collapsed at Camp Bestival in Dorset and organisers delayed opening the public arenas and gates.

Staycationers were warned to take extra care while camping and driving on coastal roads as the storm blew into the South West of the country, as it continued to gather pace and swept east along the south coast.

In Cornwall, guests at the Bedruthan Steps Campsite were moved to a field which is better protected from the wind, while Sarah Weeks from clifftop glamping site Seaview Tipis told guests to 'pack up and go' for their safety.

Meanwhile the three-day Rock Oyster Festival - where Sophie Ellis-Bexter is headlining tomorrow - is under threat and delayed opening on its site at Dinham House in St Minver, Cornwall, until midday today due to the storm.

Camp Bestival is still going ahead for the 30,000 attendees as it stands, with curator Rob da Bank saying: 'We've been through everything and are ready for anything - our customers are very hardy - we'll get through it.'

An amber 'danger to life' wind warning was issued ahead of 'unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain'. The worst conditions were in Cornwall, where gusts of between 55mph and 75mph were hitting coastal areas.

Downpours added to the miserable conditions for the thousands of families on holiday in Britain at the moment. The winds spread across South Wales and into South East England today, but will easing off towards the evening.

But drinkers braved the rain for a night out on Friday, with many huddling under umbrellas and raincoats as they headed for shelter in pubs and clubs.

Forecasters warned of possible damage to buildings, fallen trees, power cuts and cancellations to rail, air and ferry services, as the storm brings a 'wet and windy' day today for the southern and central regions of the country.

The Met Office also issued thunderstorm warnings for a swathe of England from Nottingham to Norwich and north as far as Hull, with further heavy downpours expected tomorrow in central, eastern and southern England.

Evert is the first named storm since Darcy in February. A Dutch boy's name meaning 'shepherd', it was chosen by Holland's KNMI forecasting service, which works with the Met Office to name storms in western Europe.

Steven Keates, a meteorologist from the Met Office, said: 'The wind will get worse before it gets better.

Women heading out in Leeds had to brave the blustery conditions with umbrellas catching the strong winds on Friday night

In Leeds, revellers headed out into the city centre to party for the start of the weekend in spite of the miserable summer weather

Storm Evert gives a wet and windy welcome to campers at the Farmfest event being held at Bruton in Somerset

This tent in Cornwall failed to withstand the heavy winds, a fate shared by many across the south of England last night

Shoppers dart across Oxford Street amid a heavy downpour in London on Friday as storms continue to wreak havoc across the country

Some braved the conditions and headed out despite the rain and strong winds, armed only with an umbrella for a night out in Leeds

Some partygoers were forced to wear makeshift rain covers as they headed out on Friday night in the rainy and windy conditions

Drinkers shelter under umbrellas in Soho as they enjoy a Friday night in central London during the wet July weather

Revellers took to the streets and relished the opportunity for a night out with no Covid restrictions despite the poor weather

Despite the miserable conditions, many braved the rain to enjoy the start to their weekends in Soho as they headed to the pubs and bars armed with umbrellas

Some who headed out on Friday night were well prepared in waterproof coats for a night drinking alfresco in the rain

People stand in the rain at the wet and windy Farmfest event being held at Bruton in Somerset this morning

Clouds loom above the Ageas Bowl in Southampton during the Hundred match between Southern Brave and Birmingham Phoenix

The usually crowded streets of Soho were much more sedate on Friday night as revellers were turned away by the inclement weather

Bodyboarders brave the waves in rough seas at Fistral beach in Newquay, Cornwall, today

Empty chairs and tables lined the streets of Soho on the normally busy Friday evening as many stayed at home

Storm Evert causes major damage to the campsite at Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle in Wareham, Dorset, this morning

Weather forecast for today and this weekend

Today: Today will be unsettled and gusty across southern England and Wales, with showers and spells of heavy rain. The rain will gradually clear east leaving a bright afternoon but with a few heavy showers. Mostly cloudy across Northern Ireland and Scotland, with fewer showers here. Gentle northerly winds.

Tonight: Into the evening, the rain and showers will continue to clear to the east of the UK, leading to a dry and mostly clear night across England and Wales. However cloud and some showery outbreaks of rain will linger across north-east England and Scotland. Misty in Northern Ireland. Light westerly winds.

Tomorrow: Tomorrow will see some bright or sunny spells across England and Wales. However showers will develop here in the afternoon, some heavy with thunder. It will stay cloudier in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a light shower still possible, especially across north-east England. Gentle westerly winds.

Sunday: More patchy rain on Sunday for northern England as an area of drizzle will move southwards through the day, fading as it does so. Showers will once again form in southern England. Mostly dry but cloudy elsewhere.

Monday: Monday will be dry for much of the UK with variable cloud, some showers in the south.

And Alex Whittaker said: 'Go camping in the UK they said. It will be just like France they said. #Staycation #StormEvert.'

Meanwhile the A381 Totnes bypass in Devon was blocked due to landslip between Harpers Hill and Plymouth Road.

Torrential rain has loosened the roadside sub-soil and tons of earth has crashed on to the carriegway but there are no reports of injurie and traffic is said to be 'coping well'.

As police pleaded with motorists to slow down in the heavy rain, there were reports of a collision involving a car and a truck on the A38 at Liskeard shortly before 7am today.

Flooding and stormy weather has already led to disruption in some parts of the country.

Cumbria County Council said 14 properties have been evacuated and some roads and footpaths have been closed due to a landslip in Parton, west Cumbria.

The Environment Agency has six flood alerts for areas including parts of south London and an area on the Isle of Wight.

The naming of Storm Evert comes on the day the Government announced that more than £860 million is to be invested in flood prevention schemes across the UK over the next year.

Evert is the first storm to be named in the month of July by the Met Office's storm naming group, although named summer storms are not unprecedented.

In 2020, Storm Ellen hit from August 19 to 20, before Storm Francis moved over the UK on August 25.

The last named storm was Darcy, which battered the UK over five months ago towards the start of February.

Thousands of drivers across the country will be setting off for staycations across the UK ahead of this weekend, after children broke up for their six-week school summer holidays on Monday.

RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'The arrival of a summer storm to the South West could take drivers – and indeed all holidaymakers in the region – by surprise.

104F (40C) heat will become the new 'normal' by the end of the century

Scorching temperatures never seen before in the UK of 104F (40C) will soon become the new 'normal' by the end of the century, forecasters warn.

Temperature and rainfall records are being smashed at a 'shocking' rate in the UK - with experts warning 'climate change is happening and it's happening now.' The current hottest UK temperature was 101.6F (38.7C), recorded in the Cambridge Botanic Garden in 2019.

But the jump to 104F is a record that could soon fall - possibly within the decade - and become a regular occurrence every three to four years by the end of the century, experts warned. Last year, was the first ever year to reach the top 10 in all three categories of warmest, wettest and sunniest years on record: the third warmest, fifth wettest, and eight sunniest year.

A heatwave in August 2020, which had more than six days above 34c (93.2F) claimed 1,700 lives, according to Public Health England. Meanwhile the average winter temperature for last year was 5.3C (41.5F), higher by 1.6C than the 1981-2010 average.

Professor Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, said that the temperature in the UK has already increased by 1.2C and likely to soon rise a further 0.3C in the coming years.

'We strongly recommend drivers check over their vehicles before setting out – ensuring roofboxes are firmly secured – and try to avoid exposed coastal and moorland routes where the impacts of the wind on driving will be the greatest.

'Drivers should reduce their speeds accordingly to help ensure they complete their journeys safely.'

The first named storm of the summer follows two hikers being rushed to hospital after being struck by lightning on the summit of Snowdon in Wales when freak-weather hit the region on Wednesday.

Rescuers said one of the women was bleeding and 'falling in and out of consciousness' when they arrived on the 3,560ft-peak at 1.47pm.

North Wales Police were called and volunteer crews from Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team were sent along with the Coast Guard rescue helicopter.

One of the walkers sustained minor injuries during the incident while the other sustained serious injuries.

Meanwhile, forecasters have warned that scorching summers of 104F (40C) will become the UK's new 'normal' by the end of the century.

The alarming prediction came as experts warned that temperature and rainfall records are being smashed at a 'shocking' rate in Britain.

Scientists fear the rate of global warming is spiralling out of control, saying that 'climate change is happening and it's happening now'.

The hottest temperature recorded in the UK stands at 101.6F (38.7C) in Cambridge in 2019.

But the jump to 104F (40C) could come within the decade and become a regular occurrence every three to four years by the end of the century.

Data from the annual State Of The UK Climate report showed that last year was the third warmest, fifth wettest and eighth sunniest year on record – the first ever to fall into the top ten in all three categories.

Council closes popular beach after two sewage leaks send foul liquid into the sea and flood beach huts

Swimmers have been warned not to go into the sea along a popular stretch of beach after two sewage leaks sent foul liquid into the water and flooded beach huts.

Rancid brown water was seen swamping rows of huts along an area of St Leonards beach in East Sussex this week. The first sewage pipe burst on Wednesday night, followed by a second this morning.

Emergency repair teams from Southern Water were sent to fix a burst pipe under the cycle path at Bulverhythe beach and this morning found another leak.

Emergency repair teams from Southern Water were sent to a burst pipe under the cycle path at Bulverhythe beach in St Leonards today

Hastings Borough Council was forced to close the beach and said the authority is expecting the Environment Agency to warn against bathing at other nearby Hastings beaches.

A spokesman for the council said: 'Hastings Borough Council is obviously very disappointed indeed that there has been a further serious sewage leak at Bulverhythe, affecting the beach huts and the beach.

'The council has had to close the beach at Bulverhythe as a result, and is advising people not to go onto the affected part of the beach, or to go into the sea there.

'We are expecting the Environment Agency to warn against bathing at other Hastings beaches. We obviously hope that the leak is fully repaired as quickly as possible, and that the beach is cleaned and reopened.'

Raw sewage was seen flooding around the beach huts in St Leonards as crews used pumping machines to clear the rancid brown liquid

Southern Water said it evacuated the area overnight on Wednesday following the initial burst. It added engineers found the burst and identified the cause as a leaking collar - where two pipes join.

Teams were at the site yesterday carrying out a further thorough clean-up, Southern Water said.

A Southern Water spokesman said: 'We have been working hard to contain and minimise a spill after a burst to a very large sewer pipe, carrying upward of 540 litres per second of wastewater, at Bulverhythe Beach on Wednesday afternoon.

'Tankers were able to maintain flows and wastewater services while the pipe was turned off to start the repairs.

'Unfortunately early this morning we reached our network storage capacity in the area and took the tough decision to turn the pumping station back on to support control of the network and increase storage to allow more time to complete the repairs.

Swimmers have been warned not to go into the sea along the popular stretch of beach in St Leonards, East Sussex

'This did mean we split from the original burst location for a second time, but after careful consideration it was determined this would minimise impact to the environment and beach.

'We are working closely with the Environment Agency and Hastings Borough Council on the matter. This decision was taken to prevent properties from flooding and mitigate against risk of further spills elsewhere.

'No pollution is acceptable to our customers or us and we apologise for the disruption this may have caused. We are committed to making the repair as quickly as possible and to minimising impact on the environment.'

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick. Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o

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