A BIG STORM

A storm hit the U.K. yesterday, causing three deaths, extensive damage from falling trees, more than half a million houses without power, and chaos to the rail network. The storm has now reached Denmark and is casing havoc here. A wind speed of 54m/s has been recorded in southern Jutland, which beats the record set by the great storm of 1999.

Here at home, the ground is littered with branches. Two 20m high silver birches have come down in the garden, narrowly missing the cherry tree I planted two years ago. And some big trees have come down in the wood. We'll definitely have enough wood for the winter.

The only good news is that most of the leaves which covered the lawn over the weekend have been blown over the hedge and into the neighbouring field. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Walter Blotscher