Three months after Storm Goretti battered St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, the scars left by the 100mph winds remain starkly visible. The storm uprooted 80% of the tidal island’s tree cover, including Monterey pines that had grown to the height of four-storey buildings. Senior gardener Jack Beesley described the aftermath as shocking and sad, noting that while the team has worked hard to prepare for Easter visitors, it will be another month or more before the gardens are fully restored.
The National Trust, which manages the site, is now considering whether to replant trees given the increased threat of storms linked to the climate emergency. Ian Marsh, the Trust’s assistant director for the south-west, said thousands of trees fell across west Cornwall, and decisions will need to be made on where to replant and where to let nature regenerate. He acknowledged that while more light in woodlands can be beneficial, the extreme nature of the damage was not welcome.
Beyond the island, Storm Goretti caused widespread disruption. Bridget Wagstaffe and her family have been forced into their fourth temporary home after a tree crashed into their cottage in Goldsithney. Wagstaffe described the experience as traumatic, with ongoing insurance claims and repairs expected to keep them from returning until late summer. They also received a note from Cornwall council suggesting they may be liable for emergency work costs, which Wagstaffe called a slap in the face, as the tree was not theirs. The council said it does not comment on individual cases but can recover costs from owners when emergency action is taken to protect public safety.
In Madron, near Penzance, residents faced power outages lasting up to 45 hours. Madge Christopher, 86, was left without heating, hot drinks, or light, and felt the country was unprepared for such crises. Hannah Derrington and her family endured four days without electricity or heating, relying on candles and a water butt for flushing toilets. Councillor Juliet Line has been fielding complaints about compensation, with some residents told they are ineligible because their power flickered back on briefly. National Grid Electricity Distribution said the final 2% of claims were being processed, but under Ofgem rules, payments apply only to customers without power for more than 48 hours from the storm’s onset.
