Storm Boelo claims two lives after men struck by falling trees in London and Scotland

Two men have been killed by falling trees as Storm Boelo continues to cause chaos across Britain. One man, in his 20s, died in London, while another lost his life in Scotland, with high winds blamed for causing the tragedies. In the capital, the young man was killed after a felled tree crushed his car while he was driving. Despite efforts by emergency crews who rushed to the incident at 12:40pm, he was pronounced dead at the scene in Mill Hill, north London. “This is a deeply tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the young man who lost his life,” said Chief Inspector Guy Ellwood of the Metropolitan Police’s north-west command unit. “We will now work with the local authority and coroner to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.” North of the border, emergency services were called to a road in Mid Kelton in Dumfries and Galloway, at around 10.30am today. The 60-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police Scotland said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. The two men's deaths are believed to be the first fatalities connected to Storm Boelo, the second-named storm to strike the UK this year. Two people were also injured in London after they were crushed under scaffolding that collapsed due to high winds on Streatham High Road. In a statement, a London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “Firefighters responded to an incident involving collapsed scaffolding on High Road, Streatham. Two people were trapped under the scaffolding and rescued before the Brigade arrived. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: “Both people were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.” The incidents come as thousands are left without power, while danger-to-life warnings remain in force across Scotland and northern England until 9pm this evening. Storm Boelo has brought gusts up to 75mph in the Scottish Highlands and Western Isles, with speeds up to 80mph expected at exposed coastal spots. More than 82,000 properties across the UK are now without electricity, with 344,900 now reconnected as engineers battle conditions to restore power. More than 1,500 flights at airports including Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow have been delayed, rail services have been severely curtailed, tens of thousands of homes have lost electricity, and more than 400 people have been forced to flee a caravan park in Lancashire. Major public events, including London's annual Diwali on the Square celebrations, have been scrapped. Jason Kelly, the Met Office's chief forecaster, said: “Amber warnings are in place across mainland Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and the far north of England, where gusts of 60-70mph are expected widely, with the potential for 80mph in exposed coastal locations." “Strong winds will also affect other parts of the UK, with gusts of 50-60mph possible in places. Heavy rain will provide an additional hazard, particularly in the north, bringing the potential for further impacts,” he added. The weather service warned airborne debris and powerful waves could endanger lives, urging the public to stay indoors where possible. On the railways, LNER scrapped nearly all its Aberdeen trains and scaled back operations at Northallerton, Newcastle and Edinburgh to just one service per hour in each direction. National Rail warned gale-force winds and flooding threatened severe knock-on disruption across ScotRail, Northern and Greater Anglia networks. Avanti West Coast told passengers to avoid travelling north of Preston, while TransPennine Express reported a fallen tree blocking the line between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly. Torrential rain and fierce gusts shut down Blackpool's tram network. National Highways has also closed roads and bridges across the Northeast and Midlands, urging motorists to drive with extreme caution. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter Follow related topics: