White-knuckle landing for jet plane as gales batter region

As gusts of more than 70mph battered parts of the region yesterday, the Ryanair aircraft from Limoges skidded as it touched down sideways on the runway.

Elsewhere, the strong winds caused damage to tall buildings, including in Bradford, where a fifth floor window was smashed at the headquarters of Provident Financial.

In Leeds city centre, roads around City Square were closed after a metal panel on the seventh floor of the Park Plaza hotel came partially loose in the gales.

Firefighters were called in to secure the panel and the police safety cordon was lifted around midday.

On the M1 south of Sheffield, a lorry driver had to be rescued from his vehicle after it was blown off the motorway.

Firefighters were called to the scene between junctions 30 and 31 at 5.45am and managed to rescue the driver unharmed by cutting through the windscreen.

Meanwhile, a 40mph speed limit was put in place on the 
M1’s Tinsley viaduct, near Meadowhall shopping centre, and the Woodhead Pass, 
between South Yorkshire and Glossop, was also closed to 
high-sided vehicles.

The MeteoGroup weather organisation said a gust of 72mph had been recorded at Emley Moor and one of 67mph at Church Fenton, to the east of Garforth.