Body of man found in car in Aberdeenshire as Storm Babet death toll hits seven

23 October 2023, 16:45 | Updated: 23 October 2023, 16:55

Storm Babet caused chaos across the UK over the weekend
Storm Babet caused chaos across the UK over the weekend. Picture: Alamy/Getty
Kieran Kelly

By Kieran Kelly

Police carrying out searches after reports that a man was trapped in a vehicle in floodwater near Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, on Friday have recovered the body of a man and a vehicle.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Police Scotland said that formal identification is still to take place, however next of kin have been informed.

It takes the number of lives claimed by the storm to seven across the UK.

Storm Babet brought floods and strong winds as the Met Office issued a rare red danger to life warning that was in place in Scotland.

Hundreds were evacuated from their homes in Brechin, Scotland, as Storm Babet roared in last week.

Flood Warnings Remain In Storm Babet's Wake
Flood Warnings Remain In Storm Babet's Wake. Picture: Getty

Disruption is expected to continue for several days as communities recover from heavy flooding.

Wendy Taylor, 57, also died when she fell into the Water of Lee near Brechin in Angus, north-east Scotland on Thursday afternoon.

Ms Taylor fell into the river at about 1.45pm on Thursday, and her body was recovered at about 4pm.

In a statement released through Police Scotland, her family said: "We are absolutely heartbroken to lose Wendy in such tragic circumstances and are still struggling to come to terms with it."

Read More: Forest floor 'ripples like the sea' as trees buffeted by strong winds in Storm Babet

Read More: Exact date UK to be 'covered in snow' in 'polar blast' after Storm Babet

Other deaths linked to the weather included housebound Maureen Glibert, 83, who was found dead at her home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire on Saturday after Storm Babet flooded the area.

Elsewhere, a 56-year-old man who was killed when a tree fell near Forfar on Thursday.

A man in his 60s was swept away by floods in Shropshire on Friday, and late that day a 19-year-old man was killed in a crash in Halifax.

Two women were also killed after a pile-up on the M4 amid strong winds.On Saturday two people were killed when their car came off a bridge near Skipton in North Yorkshire.