A grandmother who became a global internet sensation after a CCTV clip showed her being lifted ten feet into the air by a shop shutter has died, two years after the incident made her famous.
The Incident That Captured the World
In March 2024, 73-year-old Anne Hughes was waiting to clean the Best One shop in the village of Tonteg, near Pontypridd, South Wales. As she stood outside with her empty trolley, the electronic roller shutter began to open. Unbeknownst to shop owner Amir Akram, Anne's winter coat became tangled in the mechanism, hoisting her off the ground.
The security footage captured the 31-second ordeal, showing Anne clutching her trolley while dangling and shouting for help. Mr Akram eventually heard her cries and rushed to her aid. Although shocked, Anne was not seriously injured in the bizarre accident.
An Unlikely Viral Sensation
The video clip spread rapidly across social media, particularly on TikTok, where it amassed a staggering over 100 million views. It also became the most-watched video on the BBC's platforms, with well over 50 million views there alone.
Anne, a mother-of-three and part-time cleaner, embraced her sudden notoriety with characteristic good humour. "I was embarrassed, who wouldn't be? But looking back I can see the funny side," she said at the time. For weeks afterwards, people stopped her in the street to take selfies, and her grandchildren proudly told her she was "top of the pops"—a claim she jovially corrected to "top of the shops."
She received numerous requests for television appearances, including one said to be from presenter Kate Garraway, but chose to decline them. Reflecting on her fame, she once remarked that while the views could have made her a multi-millionaire, she was simply "happy just knowing I brought a smile to the faces of so many people."
A Legacy of Laughter
According to the Daily Mail, Anne became ill last year and died of cancer in hospital shortly before Christmas, with her loved ones at her bedside. She was 73.
A family friend remembered her fondly, stating: 'Anne was lovely and, luckily for her and everyone else, she had a good sense of humour. She quite enjoyed her moment of notoriety and she definitely saw the funny side.'
The friend added that while her passing is sad, Anne has left behind a memory that will continue to bring smiles to people's faces for years to come. Her unexpected ascent to internet fame remains a testament to her cheerful spirit in the face of an unusual predicament.
