Storm victim who died falling in trench during 107mph gales is NHS nurse, 56, who had just celebrated birthday

A MAN who was tragically found dead after falling into a trench has been named.

Andrew Barker, 56, died on Monday as a neighbour said he was returning home from his local Bradford pub.

The neighbour said Storm Isha had blown away barriers around the Northern Gas construction site and Barker had then "fallen down a hole".

He said to the : "From what I've been told a man was leaving the pub and he's fallen into the hole and banged his head."

A friend of Barker's has now paid tribute to "a real character".

Richard Elliott grew up with Barker and described him as a "born and bred" Bradford man.

Elliot said: “He was highly intelligent, professional, charismatic, loving, lucky for me, my best friend! I will miss him very much.

“You meet very few people in your life who mean so much to you!

“Andy was this person to me, a funnier person you could not meet. A real character for sure!”

Barker had only celebrated his birthday on January 13.

He was a former NHS cancer nurse.

And the Met Office has now placed amber and yellow wind warnings across the country for yet another day - warning more chaos is on its way.

Brits had been warned not to travel yesterday, with widespread disruption across rail and road.

Wind warnings are currently in place covering the entire country north of Cardiff and Peterborough.

The amber alert is curretly in place for western and northern Scotland until 8am tomorrow.

The Met Office said: "There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

"Probably some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

"Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected.

"Some roads and bridges likely to close.

"Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties."

Yellow wind warnings are also in place - with the alert covering the entirety of the UK north of Oxford.

The alerts are in place until early this afternoon.

The harsh conditions are hitting as Brits are still working to clean up after Storm Isha.

But others across the country are grieving after the storm claimed victims.

Dad-of-five Jimmy Rowe was named as one of the victims by his heartbroken family after his car veered off a flooded road in County Mayo, Ireland.

Tributes also poured in for Isha's youngest victim, Kate Keenan, who died just days after her 25th birthday.

Another man, Jimmy Johnstone, 84, has been described as a "true gentleman" after he was killed in another weather-related crash.

The storm's youngest victim lost her life after the van she was travelling in smashed into a tree while gale force winds blew through.

The passenger was killed in the horror smash in Carnalogue at around 1.50am on Monday.

The understands Kate, from Knockbridge, Co Louth, had just recently celebrated her 25th birthday.

Dad Jimmy was killed after his car skidded on a flooded road in Ireland on Sunday night.

He was said to have been driving along N17 at Lisduff in Claremorris after dropping off his daughter.

The dad's devastated brother Albie Rowe said their family was in agony.

Albie said: “Folks, with a heavy heart I bring you the heartbreaking news that our baby brother Jimmy Rowe has lost his life on the roads.

“Give your loved ones a hug you never know when it’s the last.

"Love you forever Jimmy.”

The 84-year-old man, who was also named Jimmy, died after a Hyundai crashed into a fallen tree on the A905 in Fife, eastern Scotland.

The OAP was the front seat passenger in the car, whose other occupants were not injured.

Emergency services tragically pronounced Jimmy dead at the scene near Grangemouth, and are now pleading for drivers to come forward with dashcam footage.

His local pub, The Auld Vic in Falkirk, paid tribute to him.

They said: "Everyone that knew him are saddened and devastated by his sudden passing.

"Jimmy was a beautiful man, a gentleman and genuinely one of life’s great men. He had such a zest for life and brought a wee ray of sunshine to everyone he met."

Just two hours before a man in his 60s died in a crash involving two vans and a fallen tree in Limavady, County Londonerry.

Isha bought gusts of up to 107mph near Scotland's River Tay estuary, while homes in Donegal, Ireland went up in flames after they were thought to be .