Storm Gladys: How to protect your garden from the dangerous stormy weather according to experts

We sometimes underestimate the fragility of our homes and gardens during treacherous weather conditions like storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin.

The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning, which is the highest level alert, for the south of England and Wales as a result of the high tides, strong winds and storm surge caused by storm Eunice.

An amber weather warning has been issued for the East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, South Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, while the rest of the region remains under a yellow alert.

On Sunday, February 20, Storm Franklin took over the region leading to floods, strong winds and more travel disruption. Now the Met Office has warned that another storm may be brewing in the form of Storm Gladys and could cause more gales and snow.

A poll conducted by The Compensation Experts found that more than a third (35.6 per cent) of all injuries sustained at home across the UK happen in the garden.

Here are some tips on how to storm-proof your garden to avoid any serious - or even fatal - injuries during the storm.

1 - Take care of trees

If you are worried about an old tree falling down in the strong winds, experts advise you contact your local council or tree surgeon to look at this being taken down to any accidents.

But please pay extra attention to fir trees as they are especially vulnerable to high winds due to their height and dense branches.

2 - Don’t use any ladders

In strong, high winds, you should avoid using ladders as they can easily move in the wind due to not being secured and to avoid slips and falls as a result of reacting to objects being blown down.

3 - Bolster your fencing

Consider bolstering the specifications of the fence or putting concrete spurs in, whether you are putting up a new one or just future-proofing the one you have.

This will prevent the fence from breaking and save costs of repairing the fence later down the line.

4 - Tidy up your garden

Wander around your garden and collect any loose items, like fallen branches, tools, toys and furniture, as they not only can be a danger to yourself, but passersby too.

The strong winds could blow debris around the garden and either injure a person, break fences and walls or damage the garden. Experts recommend storing all of these items safely out of the way.

5 - Consider any buildings that may be in your garden

If you have any garden sheds, greenhouses or gazebos in your garden, you must consider future-proofing them by securing them to the ground safely or take the panels out so that the wind can blow right through.