South Shields pier lighthouse loses its dome in Storm Babet

As Storm Babet wreaked havoc across the region this morning, cancelling events and disrupting traffic and public transport, South Shields Pier lighthouse also fell victim to the weather as the dome from the top fell into the sea.

As winds of around 50mph hit coastal areas, the waves proved too strong for the lighthouse, with images and videos showing the scary moment that the lighthouse dome was wiped off. 

Read more: North East weather: When will Storm Babet come to an end?

In images captured by the PA news agency, the dome can be seen floating in the harbour area of South Shields, while the news agency has also shared before images of the lighthouse.

Here is the shocking footage of the lighthouse losing its dome:

Built in 1895, the lighthouse is located on the River Tyne South Pier.

A Port of Tyne spokesman said: “Initial assessments indicate that the top dome of the lighthouse has been dislodged by the severe weather conditions.

“Unfavorable weather is expected to continue for several days, making immediate inspections unfeasible.

“However, a comprehensive evaluation of both the North and South pier structures and lighthouses will be conducted as soon as safety permits.

“Shipping activities have been temporarily suspended due to the persistent adverse weather conditions, with little expectation of resuming within the next 24 to 48 hours.

“Both the North and South Piers will remain closed until inspections can be completed, prioritising the safety of all individuals.

“We strongly advise the public to avoid visiting the piers during this time.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of our community.”

Yellow and amber weather warnings for wind and rain have been issued to the North East after Storm Babet hit the North East late on Wednesday evening.

The dome of the lighthouse at South Shields was brought down (Image: PA MEDIA)

Events in the North East have been cancelled and authorities are urging the public to take caution as the storm continues to cause winds of over 25mph.

According to the Met Office forecast, the extreme weather is set to die down from 1pm on Saturday (October 21), where the likelihood of rain will fall from 50% to 10%.

An image taken just before the dome was brought down (Image: PA)

Winds of up to 22mph will also fall to as low as 6mph by the end of the day.

Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesman, previously spoke of the storm as he predicted that some communities may face power cuts and flooding.

Wind and waves batter the lighthouse in South Shields (Image: PA)

He said: “A disruptive period of weather is on the way.

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“There are some high totals (of rain) which have the potential to disrupt travel plans… possibility of power cuts as well as the obvious risk of flooding.

“As you look at Wednesday, the first pulse of rain is looking to particularly influence Northern Ireland, Wales and the southwest of England, and into Thursday.

“But it’s as you move from Thursday and into the week that shift very much focuses more towards central and eastern Scotland, but also some central and eastern areas of England as well.”