Storm Bert claims first victim as man dies after car 'spins off road'

A man who died when his car 'spun off the road' is thought to be the first Storm Bert fatality. Snow, heavy downpours and strong winds have been battering parts of the UK this weekend.

A number of weather alerts have been issued by the Met Office, with people warned to be cautious when travelling. Now, it has been confirmed that a man died in a tragic crash.

His Renault Captur is said to have 'spun off the road' in icy conditions and ploughed into a stone wall. The collision happened just before 1am.

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The 34-year-old died at the scene in Shipley, West Yorkshire, Mirror reports. The victim, from Bradford, West Yorks, has not been named.

Police today (Saturday, November 23) remained at the scene as officers carried out their investigations amid heavy snowfall. A local resident, who asked not to be named, said: "A loud crash woke me up in the middle of the night.

"When I looked outside, I could see the car had spun off the road and smashed into a wall. It was freezing last night and the road can be treacherous in icy conditions. We’ve seen accidents here before, but nothing as tragic as this."

Police were called at 12.59am to the junction of Moorhead Lane and Beechwood Grove, in Shipley. The driver was given emergency treatment but was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died in a road traffic collision in Shipley. A blue Renault Captur, which had been travelling north-east towards Saltaire, had collided with a wall.

"The driver, a 34-year-old man from Bradford, was given emergency treatment but was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. A road closure has remained in place while the scene is being cleared."

Officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the vehicle being driven in the area at the time to get in touch. In particular anyone with relevant dashcam or CCTV footage should get in touch.