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Storm Austen: Trees uprooted, zoo closed and events cancelled

Susan Brewer An uprooted tree lies across a road with its branches in the road next to a white car and a police van with flashing blue lightsSusan Brewer
Residents were left "shocked" after high winds uprooted a tree in Garstang Road in Poulton-le-Fylde

Trees have been uprooted and events cancelled as Storm Austen sweeps across the North West.

Residents said they were "shocked" after a tree came down on Garstang Road in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.

Chester Zoo has closed amid safety concerns, while a popular Halloween fundraiser in Liverpool has been cancelled.

Markets in Macclesfield and Salford have also fallen foul of the weather.

A tree in Poulton-le-Flyde, Lancashire, was completely uprooted by strong winds to the shock of residents. It happened in Garstang Road.

Susan Brewer A close-up of the tree ripped from the green glass with a police car parked nearbySusan Brewer
Resident Susan Brewer said it was "blowing a gale" in her part of Lancashire

Susan Brewer told the BBC: "I was going shopping and then I saw a big beautiful tree completely down and uprooted.

"It's a leafy area and the wind here is profound. It's blowing a gale and is very wet and windy.

"It's not a huge surprise that it's happened as warnings are in force, but it's quite shocking to see.

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, which organises The Spooky Welly Walk, said it had made the "difficult decision" to call it off .

The charity said the decision was made following a health and safety inspection of the site.

The popular fundraising walk, which follows a two-mile Halloween-themed trail, attracts hundreds of families and raised £83,000 last year.

The charity's chief executive, Paula Chadwick, said losing the event was a "significant blow".

Chadwick said: "Our team and volunteers have spent months preparing, but the safety of everyone attending must come first."

The charity said all ticket holders were being contacted.

Roy Castle Foundation A woman in a top hat and Halloween bones costume holds her two children's hands as they laugh as they jump into leaves at the eventRoy Castle Foundation
The Spooky Welly Walk has been going for the last 15 years

Several markets were also cancelled because of the weather. Garston Market in Liverpool called off its Friday event, while Quayside Makers Market cancelled its markets on Saturday and Sunday due to forecast high winds. Macclesfield Treacle Market was also called off on Sunday for safety reasons.

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