Gale throws wildlife homes to the ground

Wenlock Edge Shropshire After nearly 80 seasons this ash has upended sheared roots as if the trunk had been twisted off

The robin materialises from a point in the ground where the storm disappeared. Out of all the thrashing rain and screaming winds, the bird stands, in the conspicuous, red-breasted, defiance of the season's greetings card pose and begins to sing.

Storm Desmond, which newspaper headlines have called the wildest of all, seems to have largely passed through, although there are still errant gusts and cat-spits of rain.