Family's tributes to pensioner, 84, killed by fallen tree in Storm Isha, as man named for first time

24 January 2024, 09:03

The family of the first man killed in Storm Isha have paid tribute to him, as he was named publicly for the first time.

Jimmy Johnstone, 84, was "much-loved" and "well-respected", his family said. He died when the Hyundai he was in crashed into a fallen tree in Grangemouth, north of Edinburgh, just before midnight on Sunday.

His family added that he "left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege to have met him.

"Our hearts are broken as a family however take great comfort in knowing that he has been reunited with his beloved wife Anne."

Johnstone, the front seat passenger, was killed by a fallen tree on the A905, Beancross Road at 11.45pm on Sunday. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Other passengers in the vehicle were not injured.

Read more: Storm Isha claims first victim after man, 84, killed as car crashes into fallen tree

Read more: Storm Jocelyn batters Brits with 97mph winds bringing travel chaos, as search for person missing in the sea suspended

Police are trying to work out the full circumstances of the crash and are still calling for witnesses to come forward.

Officers closed Beancross Road on the A905 on Monday morning while they carried out investigations.

Road Policing Inspector Andrew Thomson said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Johnstone, and all those involved in the collision. We continue to offer them support as our enquiries progress.

"I’d be keen to speak to anyone who saw what happened or was on the A905 around 11.45pm on Sunday. I’d also request anyone with dashcam footage of Beancross Road around that time, please review your footage and bring anything of significance to our attention."

Storm Isha is thought to have killed at least five people on Sunday and Monday, as well as leaving thousands without power.

Storm Jocelyn brought fresh travel chaos to the UK on Wednesday with 97mph winds. A person was reported missing in the sea off Wales, with the search suspended on Tuesday until first light on Wednesday. The storm also brought disruption to the roads and railways.

Jocelyn is the tenth named storm to hit the UK since the season began in September.

Each storm is named when it poses a risk to people and they are given names beginning with consecutive letters of the alphabet.

The record number of named storms in one year is when the Met Office began the practice in 2015/16, with Storm Katie being the 11th and final storm of the season.

After Jocelyn, if there are two more storms named between now and August, this year will mark a new record.

Winds reached 97mph in Capel Curig in the Welsh mountain range of Snowdonia, 79mph in Aberdaron, also in Wales, and 77mph at Shap, Cumbria, in north-west England.

Amber warnings for wind were in place for parts of Scotland on Wednesday morning, with most of the UK under a yellow alert until the afternoon.