Storm Eunice: Aintree man killed when debris hit van is named

Stephen Matthews was described by his family as a "beloved husband and a devoted dad"

A man who died when a van was struck by debris during Storm Eunice was a "beloved husband and a devoted dad", his family has said.

Stephen Matthews, 68, was a passenger in the vehicle when the windscreen was struck on Switch Island in Netherton, Merseyside, at 14:10 GMT on Friday.

In a statement, Mr Matthews' family said he was "a popular and well-known member of the Aintree community".

They added he had been "tragically taken too soon".

"The beloved husband of Sylvia and devoted Dad to Jonathan and Robert, he will be sadly missed by all of his family and friends," they said.

Mr Matthews was pronounced dead at the scene near Dunningsbridge Road while the driver of the vehicle was not injured.

A woman in her 30s in London and a man in his 20s in Hampshire were also killed in one of the worst storms to hit the UK in decades.

In Ireland, a man in his 60s was killed by a falling tree in County Wexford.

Fierce winds from Storm Eunice toppled trees and sent debris flying, causing widespread travel disruption with hundreds of trains and flights cancelled.

Coastal areas of south-west England and south Wales, along with south-east England, had been on alert after rare red weather warnings were issued by the Met Office early on Friday, indicating a danger to life.

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