Sheffield weather: Storms tear down and damage more than 100 trees over Christmas and New Year

As the festive season ends, the clean-up of fallen and damaged trees continues following a month of gale-force winds and heavy rain. 

Sheffield City Council’s Streets Ahead team said they received more than 100 reports of damaged and fallen trees over the Christmas and New Year period due to persistent wet and windy conditions.

And the end is not in sight yet, a yellow weather warning for rain has been put in place today in Sheffield (January 2) as Storm Henk arrives in England.

December saw almost back-to-back storms tear through Sheffield, from Storm Elin, Fergus, Pia and Gerrit, as well as other fierce winds that didn’t quite constitute another named storm. Gales took the roofs off homes on Haslam Crescent, and even closed Sheffield’s Christmas Market for a day in its final week. 

The Star previously reported how Storm Elin, which was the first to strike, had uprooted trees around the city, including one in City Road Cemetery and others on East Bank Road, Savile Street and Clay Wheels Lane.

Of the dozens of trees knocked down, perhaps the most lamented casualty was a sycamore tree in Graves Park, described as the city's 'most photographed' and 'most iconic' tree. A Facebook group named ‘Remembering Graves park's magical tree’ has gathered more than 130 members, with people sharing their favourite photos and happy memories of the tree.

A number of fallen trees over the month saw traffic chaos for motorists, including one on St Andrew's Road, in Nether Edge, which damaged a parked car. The Streets Ahead team received so many reports of damaged and fallen trees during Storm Pia, with its 55mph gusts, that it had to prioritise those blocking footpaths and roads.

Other trees brought down over December include ones on Grange Mill Lane, Ringinglow Road, and Fairbank Road.

Streets Ahead teams will be out cleaning Sheffield’s roads today. To report any issues with your street, visit http://sheffield.gov.uk/report or call 0114 273 4567.