Tributes paid to beloved father-of-two killed by falling tree during Storm Amy

Paul Whitehead died on Sunday in the village of Upper Cumberworth, West Yorkshire, as gale-force winds battered much of the UK.

Paul was hit by a falling tree branch and, despite the efforts of emergency workers, died at the scene, reports say.

Paul’s heartbroken son, Simon, has paid tribute to his “devoted” father.

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"He was loved by all that had the privilege of knowing him and will be missed by us all. He was my hero".

Paul was reportedly well-liked in Upper Cumberworth, with one local describing him as a “top fella.”

Storm Amy brought “extremely damaging” winds when it began to hit Ireland and the UK on Friday, with gusts of almost 100mph recorded in some exposed coastal areas.

The storm left thousands without power for several days and caused travel disruption across the UK.

Nik Wheeler, SSEN’s head of customer operations for the north of Scotland, said on Monday afternoon: “The third full day of our storm response is also the third day without power for a number of our customers.

“I know this has been a challenging time, and I want to thank people for their patience and understanding.

“We’re working as safely and quickly as we can, and the pace of our restoration operation is picking up further speed as weather conditions improve, and the access to damage locations is cleared.

“This is why some households have been contacted by us with an update to their reconnection time.

“While we complete these essential network repairs, I encourage people to use the free hot meal provision we’re providing across affected communities, and to take advantage of our support package, by claiming reimbursement for accommodation and food if they’re eligible.”