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 | | Friday, 1 February, 2002, 21:42 GMT Rescue hunt for man swept to sea  Traffic forged its way through floods at Blackpool An air and sea rescue operation is under way to find a man who was washed off Brighton Pier. Lifeboats and a helicopter were launched after security officers working at the Palace Pier heard the man's cries for help on Friday. Meanwhile heavy rains and winds of up to 80 mph shut roads and railways across England and forced the closure of the country's biggest container port. It was declared too dangerous to operate machinery at the port of Felixstowe, Suffolk leaving ships stuck in the docks.
The rescue drama off the Brighton coast began on Friday evening as winds gusted up to 60 mph. Bob Knox, Solent Coastguard watch manager, said: "The weather locally is southerly gale force eight winds, forecast to increase to force nine later. "In view of the weather conditions and the sea temperature this man must be found quickly for any chance of survival. "We do not know at this time why the man was there or whether he was alone. "Indeed conditions at the end of the pier are so rough as to prevent the launch of the shore lifeboat from Brighton." Flood warnings More than 90 flood warnings were already in force across Britain by Friday afternoon, with water pouring into shops in Bideford, north Devon. Warnings of coastal flooding were in operation around Devon, Cornwall and the North West. In Lancashire, police closed the promenade in Blackpool to motorists as waves dozens of feet high pounded the seafront.
Some vehicles were stranded after their drivers ignored police advice and attempted to drive through water several feet deep. About three inches of rain fell in Cumbria and speed limits were reduced along a stretch of the M6 in the county as flood water threatened to overwhelm the carriageways. Some homes near Barrow in Furness were awash with water as flood water swept into living rooms and kitchens. All services on the Heathrow Express from Paddington, London, were cancelled after cables were brought down in the bad weather. The Tamar Bridge at Plymouth was closed to high-sided vehicles and the M48 Severn Bridge closed completely. Ferry stranded On Friday, Virgin trains stopped running between Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh, because of flooding, overhead line damage, and fallen trees. Earlier in the day The Sardinia Vira ferry from Dieppe ran aground as it entered Newhaven, East Sussex, at 0830 GMT on Friday. The 17 passengers and 55 crew were stranded for two hours as winds gusted up to 47 knots. The ferry refloated on the rising tide after 1000 GMT. | |
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