Northern Ireland

Storm Henry rips out shop window as gales hit north west

Storm Henry batters the harbour walls at Portstewart in Co Derry on Monday as winds of up to 70mph swept the coastline. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Storm Henry batters the harbour walls at Portstewart in Co Derry on Monday as winds of up to 70mph swept the coastline. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Storm Henry batters the harbour walls at Portstewart in Co Derry on Monday as winds of up to 70mph swept the coastline. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

Shoppers in Derry had a lucky escape when Storm Henry ripped a large plate glass window from the front of a store.

Yellow warnings were issued throughout Ireland amid gale force winds and waves up to 50ft high along the north coast.

There was widespread traffic disruption in the north west yesterday morning as the storm – the eighth of the season – brought down trees, including blocking the Derry to Letterkenny road.

In Derry city, the Fire and Rescue Service was called out when a large plate glass window was blown out from a Dunelm Mill store on the Buncrana Road area.

Witnesses said shoppers narrowly escaped injury.