Storm Goretti batters farms across Britain

Storm Goretti has wreaked havoc across the UK, battering farming communities with record-breaking winds, heavy snow and widespread power cuts.

The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for 100mph gusts in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, part of a “multi-hazard” storm that brought as much as 30cm of snow to parts of the Midlands and Wales and triggered emergency alerts to roughly half a million mobile phones.

Infrastructure has been damaged, transport links suspended and rural properties left isolated, compounding disruption to agricultural operations already battling winter weather.

See also: UK arable farms lose £828m because of extreme weather

In Cornwall, the impact has been deeply felt at Brew Farm near Penzance, where beef and arable farmer Emma Semmens works in partnership with her parents, Adrian and Ann.

“It has been rough, very rough,” she said. “We have got two shed roofs gone so far. Our big Dutch barn roof has been destroyed. Thankfully, the cattle are all safe, which is the most important thing.”

100mph winds recorded

Record-breaking winds, which reached 100mph at nearby Land’s End, ripped tiles from buildings and scattered debris across roads and fields.

“There is debris from a neighbour’s shed all over the road,” said Ms Semmens, adding: “There are about 40 roof tiles strewn across my garden lawn.”

Scattered roof tiles © Emma Semmens

The storm also knocked out power at Brew Farm late in the evening. “We lost power at 8.30pm last night. It is not due to come back until Sunday morning. We have got to get generators going now,” Ms Semmens explained.

Describing the moment the storm intensified, she said: “Some of the gusts were mental. You could hear the gutters coming off.

“It was really eerie at the start, then, suddenly it just ramped up. There were bits of debris flying everywhere.”

For Ms Semmens, the priority remains clear: ensuring livestock welfare and beginning the long process of repairs, with insurance claims now inevitable.

Fallen trees

Richard Tresidder, an Agrovista agronomist based in Liskeard, Cornwall, said he and colleagues had spent the morning using chainsaws to clear trees that had fallen across rural roads.

He added that the winds had been so strong some trees had uprooted entire stretches of road.

“It’s absolute bedlam here,” he said. “I’m on the A394 between Falmouth and Helston, where trees have blocked the road. People have been getting out of their cars to move them. Traffic is flowing, just about.”

Deep snow, roads cut off

Across the country, other farmers faced deep snow and blocked, with many working through the night to keep routes clear.

John Yeomans, who runs a 118ha farm with his wife Sarah in Powys, said the area had received a large dumping of snow.

Mr Yeomans said he knew of one local farmer, Graham Buckley, who has been out clearing snow from the roads since 2am today.

As a councillor at Powys County Council, Mr Yeomans is hoping to secure some funding for his efforts.

“There are several farmers and drainage contractors who have been working long hours to clear snow and fallen trees from roads. There should be a way of recognising them,” said Mr Yeomans.

Mr Buckley said some areas had received up to 12 inches of snow, with drifts reaching 5-6ft high. “Where I cleared the main roads, it’s completely clear now,” he said, adding: “I do it to help the community; it’s something I’ve always done.”

Weather outlook

The Met Office says an amber weather warning for snow remains in place this morning for much of the West Midlands, Wales, Gloucestershire and parts of Yorkshire.

The forecaster says Storm Goretti will slowly clear east today, bringing lingering rain and snow, wintry showers, frost and ice over the weekend, before milder, wetter weather arrives next week.