Storm Goretti - Video Coverage

Screenshot from a video posted by the Daily Record, where my footage hit 50,000 views within hours.

I've spent a wild few days covering Storm Goretti in Cornwall for PA Media, capturing video and stills for the national press. 

It wasn't long after the red weather warning, indicating a 'threat to life', was announced on Thursday afternoon that I began to expect a call from the newsdesk. Sure enough, at 2pm, the phone rang and I was out the door with my camera gear, hoping to capture as much as possible before the emergency alert kicked in at 5pm.

Even before the storm officially made landfall, the winds were incredibly strong and I was stuggling to keep the tripod steady. Nevertheless, I managed to file footage which soon made it onto outlets across the country, including a video posted by the Daily Record which racked up 50k views in a matter of hours. Coverage also made it onto BBC News, the Daily Express, and Talk TV.

One of my photos was picked up by BBC News. My footage was also used in a live broadcast by Talk TV.

I awoke on Friday morning to find that all roads in and out of my village had been blocked by fallen trees, so captured what I could locally, before I was able to head out and record the aftermath further afield.

Helston and The Lizard Peninsula were especially hard hit, with 15,000 homes without water and thousands without power, internet or phone signal. Not the easiest conditions to report in! At home, the lights were flickering and water pressure was low, but we got off lightly by comparison.

A screenshot from my interview with Gary and Victoria Pollard, owners of Cadgwith Cove Inn and Wavecrest Cafe. Both of their businesses suffered damage during the storm and the family were left without power and water.

Today, I headed out to The Lizard Peninsula to speak to local business owners and residents who are still without water and power. The conditions in Cadgwith were strangely idyllic in the early morning sunshine; a sharp contrast to the fallen trees and debris I'd had to navigate on the roads to reach the village.

There are hopes that power will be restored tomorrow night and water is currently being distributed at collection points, although there is no clear idea of when things will be 'back to normal'. My thoughts go out to those who have lost their homes and will continue to be affected long after services resume.

Cadgwith looking strangely idyllic in the early-morning sunshine... the calm after the storm.