Storm Goretti hits Britain as ‘red warning’ for 100mph winds comes into effect in Cornwall, schools close and commuters race to get home before trains are cancelled across UK

A red weather warning for ‘100mph’ winds has been issued in Cornwall as Storm Goretti rocks the UK – forcing schools to close early and commuters to rush home before trains are cancelled. 

The Met Office issued the rare warning in Cornwall this afternoon and told residents to ‘stay indoors’, while much of the rest of Britain including the Home Counties has been on alert for heavy snow.

South West England will be hit by ‘exceptionally strong’ winds from Storm Goretti and everyone in Cornwall was told to avoid going outside from 4pm until 11pm today.  

Dramatic videos posted on social media show residents of the county struggling to drive through country roads resembling streams due to severe flooding. 

One clip taken by a man in Newquay shows the town centre completely isolated as he battles through torrential rain to try and buy food. 

Elsewhere, photos taken in Paddington, London, show bare platforms as workers avoid commuter chaos due to the threat of cancelled trains. 

The Met Office warned peak gusts of ‘100mph or more’ were expected in exposed areas of the Cornwall and the ‘violent gusts’ could ‘persist for two to three hours’.

It said: ‘Being outside in high winds makes you vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors if you can’, adding: ‘Avoid travelling by road during potentially dangerous conditions.’ 

The weather forecaster tonight extended two of its warnings to take in more areas of the UK. The yellow warning for snow in northern and central England and Wales has been extended north into areas of Cheshire. 

Meanwhile, the amber snow warning, which starts at 8pm this evening until 9am tomorrow morning, now includes Wrexham, Stafford and areas of Flintshire.  

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People in red warning areas were told to ‘consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items’ in case of possible power cuts. 

The warning said people should expect damage to buildings and homes, very large waves, flying debris resulting in ‘danger to life’, power cuts and transport disruption.

It was the first red warning to be issued for the UK in nearly a year since an alert for Scotland during Storm Éowyn last January, which also urged people to stay indoors. 

Today’s was also only the eighth red warning over the past five years – five of the others were for wind; one for rain; and one for heat during the 2022 heatwave. 

The Cabinet Office confirmed emergency alerts, which means sounds blare from mobile phones, had been issued to people in the areas most at risk from Goretti. 

Goretti, named by Meteo France, has been described as a ‘multi-hazard event’ by the Met Office with as much of 30cm (1ft) of snow possible for parts of the UK.

Weather warnings have been issued for snow, wind, rain and ice across the UK ahead of likely ‘disruption and dangerous travelling conditions’ over the coming hours.

Large parts of the UK train network will begin closing from 3pm, with routes including Sheffield to Manchester and all of Cornwall shutting over the following hours.

Commuters in some areas were told to travel earlier and not attempt to get a train from late afternoon today amid fears over short-notice delays and cancellations.

The Met Office issued yellow, amber and red warnings across the South West and North of England, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Goretti is undergoing explosive cyclogenesis, also known as a ‘weather bomb’, when the central pressure of a low-pressure system falls 24 millibars in 24 hours. For this storm, the pressure will drop by 36 millibars in the 24 hours to 6pm this evening.

The 21-hour storm will hit from 3pm today until 12pm tomorrow – with the most snow in the Midlands and Wales, where 30cm (1ft) could fall. Areas in the Home Counties including Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire could see up to 20cm (8in).

Some schools announced they were closing early – with Cornwall Council advising them all to shut at 2pm, on top of the 160 already closed in Aberdeenshire today.

Many rail operators have announced advance line closures, with TransPennine Express saying the route between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield via Stockport will shut from 6pm tonight until Saturday with no replacement buses running.

All trains in Cornwall will be suspended from 6pm with no replacement buses – while services in Devon between Exeter, Okehampton and Barnstaple will also be axed.

From 3pm, CrossCountry will run a reduced service between Birmingham and Bristol, Reading and Manchester; Avanti West Coast said it would operate fewer trains; while LNER advised customers travelling after that time to bring forward their journey.

Northern will suspend three routes from 6pm tonight until Saturday – between Guide Bridge and Glossop; Hazel Grove and Buxton; and New Mills Central and Sheffield. ScotRail said trains between Inverness and Wick remained suspended today.

South Western Railway cancelled at least seven trains from 7pm tonight including between London Waterloo and Weymouth, Portsmouth, Poole and Bournemouth – while Eurostar warned of last-minute cancellations to and from London St Pancras.

Transport for Wales said the line between Machynlleth and Pwllheli was closed today, while Liverpool to Chester trains will be suspended from 3pm. The line from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff Central will have a reduced service, with other closures expected.

Chiltern Railways urged passengers to complete journeys by 8pm tonight, ahead of reduced timetables tomorrow.

Great Western Railway warned of a shutdown between Great Malvern and Hereford from 3pm, and Oxford and Hereford from 6pm.

Britons flying to Amsterdam and Paris also continued to face disruption due to the weather today, after about 1,000 flights to and from both cities were axed yesterday.

KLM flights from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and London Heathrow were impacted again today, as well as Air France planes from Heathrow and Birmingham.

Meanwhile both Channel Islands airports said they would close early at 6pm today due to the storm, impacting flights between London Gatwick or Heathrow to Jersey and Guernsey.

The governments in Jersey and Guernsey urged residents to stay indoors ‘for their safety’.

In Norfolk, people living in 14 clifftop homes at Hemsby were evacuated amid fears their properties are at risk of imminent collapse into the sea as Goretti sweeps in – with residents saying 30ft (10m) of coast has already eroded away in the past week.

Heolddu Comprehensive School in Bargoed, South Wales, was among the schools closing early due to the weather today.

A statement from the school tweeted at 11am said: ‘Following local authority guidance, the school will close today at 1.30pm due to forecast severe weather on higher ground. Pupils will have an early lunch from 1pm to 1.30pm before dismissal.’

Cornwall Council told all schools to shut by 2pm.

A statement said: ‘Schools and education settings are advised to close by 2pm today as Storm Goretti approaches.

‘An amber wind warning is in place, with the potential for gusts of up to 100mph. If your school decides to close early, please liaise with your transport providers to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place.’

Other schools decided early that they would shut tomorrow, including Yew Tree Primary in Sandwell in the West Midlands, which tweeted: ‘In light of the forecast extreme weather warning for tonight/tomorrow morning, we have made the decision to close school on Friday, January 9.

‘We are sharing this information now to give families as much notice as possible.’

Elsewhere, the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team issued an avalanche warning for Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa.

Emergency alerts have been issued to people in the areas most at risk from Goretti.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: ‘The Met Office has issued a red warning for the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall from 4pm until 11pm on Thursday January 8.

‘In light of the damaging winds and associated disruption, the Cabinet Office is issuing two Emergency Alerts to people in affected areas.

‘The first was sent at approximately 3pm on Thursday January 8 to people in the Isles of Scilly. The second will be sent at approximately 5pm on Thursday January 8 to people in Cornwall.

‘The Emergency Alert system will send a message to every compatible mobile phone in the impacted areas, containing information about the red warning and guidance on how to stay safe.

‘Compatible mobile phones will make a loud siren-like sound even if they are set on silent. The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.’

It is the fifth time alerts have been used in this way.

Villages could become cut off in England and Wales and face power outages tonight.

In Aberdeenshire, snow has fallen every day so far this year – with rural communities becoming cut off by what locals have billed ‘one of the worst winters in 25 years’.

Among the affected villages is Insch, which has seen 30cm (1ft) of snow – leaving delivery lorries struggling to make it through, despite a snowplough clearing the entrance to a Co-op which now has piles of snow reaching almost to the roof.

Snow drifts have been 50cm (1ft 8in) deep in Insch, with residents comparing the situation at the local supermarket to food shortages during the pandemic. The disruption follows Aberdeenshire Council declaring a major incident on Tuesday.

Another impacted village is Kemnay, where ice-covered roads stopped any deliveries to local stores. Residents have been panic-buying in the village, which can only be reached from a B-road four miles from the A96, amid concerns over food shortages.

In Insch, Doug Griffin said the weather conditions – which have caused the village to be cut off – are ‘remarkable’ and ‘exceptional’.

The 58-year-old, who has lived in the village for 25 years, said that while residents are used to snow, the drifts yesterday were 30cm (1ft) deep, and had been higher on Tuesday before they thawed.

Mr Griffin, a father-of-two who works from home for the North Sea Transition Authority, said that on Tuesday the drifts had been around 50cm (1ft 8in) deep.

He said that a snow plough had cleared the entrance to the local Co-Op, which he photographed on Tuesday evening with piles of snow reaching almost to the roof.

Mr Griffin said: ‘It has been a long time since we have had anything like this, it is very different here. We moved up to the north-east 25 years ago, the first winter was quite bad, 2010 was quite bad, but this might be the worst.

‘I was going round to the Co-Op to get some stuff, and it took my breath away. They ploughed the road, I think they had cleared some of the car park. I think there’s about 30cm of snow lying everywhere at the moment.

‘It is slightly wetter today, and I think some of the snow in Aberdeen has gone. At my front door, the depth is about 30cm. We are snowed in, we have not been able to get out of the village for a few days.’ 

He said that a snow plough had cleared the road on Monday, but that delivery lorries struggled to reach the village due to being around two miles from the A96, and compared the situation at the local supermarket to the food shortages during the pandemic.

Mr Griffin said: ‘The snow is not going away, it is going to be well below freezing. It looks like it may be milder next week. There has been nothing like this since 2010, it is quite remarkable. It makes it really difficult to do anything.

‘There were people getting frustrated last night because the shop hadn’t stocked up. We are not used to it. We do get snow, but it is nothing like this, it is exceptional.

‘People are helping each other out, my wife has been to see our elderly neighbours. I think it’s a bit like Covid – a lot of the shelves are completely empty.

‘Lorries can’t get to the Co-Op as they can’t get to the road. Insch is about two miles from the A96 – when they turn into places like this, they can’t get in. It has not been the start of the year we would have wanted.’

In Kemnay, community council member Richard Lamplugh claimed neighbours had been panic buying. He told the Telegraph: ‘There has definitely been a food shortage, people worry so they panic buy. It’s difficult to get here, we’re reasonably cut off.’

Today will see a cloudy and cold start to the day with wintry weather as Goretti comes in from the South West. 

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the storm will bring ‘wet, windy and wintry weather’ to parts of the UK. Goretti, named by Meteo France, will bring ‘some strong winds and some significant snow to central and perhaps southern parts’.

The meteorologist added: ‘As that rain pushes its way and it hits against that cold air that we currently have across us… and so on the northern edge, we are likely to see some fairly significant snow as we go through later tomorrow and into Friday.’

Amber warnings have an ‘increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather’ compared to yellow warnings, meaning there is the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and potential risk to life and property.

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong described Storm Goretti as a ‘multi-hazard event’ with heavy rain, strong winds and snow.

He said 5cm (2in) to 10cm (4in) of snow is likely widely in Wales and the Midlands, with 15cm (6in) to 25cm (10in) and a potential for up to 30cm (1ft) in some areas.

The forecaster has issued an amber warning for heavy snow from this evening into tomorrow, covering parts of Wales, the Midlands and South Yorkshire.

The warning stretches from Sheffield in the North, down to Leicester, across much of the West Midlands and into Wales.

It comes into force at 8pm tonight and ends at 9am tomorrow.

National Highways issued its own amber warning for snow in the West and East Midlands, which lasts from 6pm this evening until 9am tomorrow.

The agency said in a statement: ‘Routes particularly around Birmingham across to Leicester and Nottingham will see particularly difficult driving conditions and consideration of the weather forecast should be taken before commencing journeys, with considerable delays possible.’

Drivers were also warned that the A628 Woodhead Pass would be closed both ways between the A616 at Flouch and the A57 at Hollingworth from 8pm tonight due to the severe weather.

Police Scotland said the A74(M) was closed in both directions between junctions 14 and 16 in South Lanarkshire this afternoon and that emergency services were at the scene.

It said there had been ‘multiple collisions due to icy conditions’ and urged motorists to avoid the area.

Network Rail urged passengers across Britain to check for updates before they travel on tonight and tomorrow morning. 

Network Rail regional director Jake Kelly said: ‘Thousands of railway colleagues will do everything they can to keep the railway running across the country on Thursday night and Friday morning, but even with their best efforts we are concerned that the scale of the storm means there may still be some disruption in some areas.

‘While Storm Goretti is forecast to impact most of Britain, there are some areas that could be more affected than others, so our best advice to customers is simply to arm themselves with the best information they can, from National Rail or their operators.

‘In the meantime, we are working hard to get the network as best prepared as we can so we can keep rail customers moving.’ 

Flight passengers were also warned of disruption, with Aberdeen Airport saying today: ‘Snow clearing has taken place this morning following significant snowfall overnight. 

‘The airport is monitoring the situation closely with weather warnings in place and will conduct more snow clearing when necessary to ensure the safety of our operations.’

‘Passengers are urged to check the status of their flight with their operator and take extra care if travelling to and from the airport. We thank passengers for their patience and understanding.’ 

Carl Eddleston, Transport for London’s director of streets and network operations, told the Daily Mail: ‘During winter weather conditions, we have comprehensive plans in place that aim to keep services safe and keep our network running for customers.

‘These measures include proactively using products that prevent ice from forming on platforms and extensively gritting the capital’s major roads. We also treat Tube, bus and rail stations throughout the day to minimise the risk of them becoming slippery.

‘We encourage customers to check before they travel, allow more time for their journeys, and most importantly stay safe in icy conditions. Customers should also continue to keep an eye on the weather forecast, as conditions can change quickly.’

A red wind warning from 4pm to 11pm today has been issued across parts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, as forecasters warn of 100mph gusts in ‘exposed places’.

There is a further yellow warning for wind for much of South West England from 3pm today until 6am tomorrow, which was later extended along the south coast to Kent.

There is also a yellow warning for snow and ice in Scotland from 10pm last night until midday today and a yellow warning for ice in Northern Ireland from midnight until 10am today.

A yellow snow warning has been issued for a large part of England and much of Wales, and will be in place from 5pm today until midday tomorrow.

The Met Office said heavy snow may cause disruption and difficult travelling conditions.

Mr Burkill said 20cm (8in) or more of snow could settle, adding that is ‘enough to cause some severe disruption’.

A yellow rain warning has also been issued across the east of England from 6pm today to 9pm tomorrow, and in west Wales from midday today to 10am tomorrow.

Amber cold weather health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency until Sunday, meaning severe impacts across health and social care services are expected.

Officials expect a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, with impacts also possible on younger age groups.

Temperatures could fall to -12C tonight after dropping to -14.7C last night 

The Met Office said temperatures could fall to -12C tonight or even lower in areas of lying snow, after an overnight low of -14.7C at Tomintoul in Banffshire overnight into this morning. The low in England last night was -5C at Topcliffe in North Yorkshire.

RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: ‘A red weather warning is every bit as serious as it sounds: avoid the roads – unless absolutely essential – until the storm winds have passed. 

‘With the worst conditions expected in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, we strongly urge motorists in these areas to stay safe by parking well away from trees that could be uprooted by the strongest winds the area has seen in years.

‘Exposed routes and coastlines pose the greatest danger as motorists are completely exposed to the elements and risk being “buffeted” across the road by sudden gusts.’

And Shaun Jones from the AA said: ‘Motorists should be ready to adjust or even postpone travel plans if the conditions worsen. Storms can change quickly, and being flexible helps keep you and others safe. 

‘If forecasts show heavier snow or stronger winds moving into your area, consider delaying your journey or working from home where appropriate.

‘Taking the time to plan ahead and making safety the priority will make a real difference as the storm continues to affect central England.’

A concert due to take place this evening at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Live by Young Voices – the world’s largest children’s choir – was cancelled due to the forecast.

Organisers said it was a ‘responsible decision’ because the ‘safety of children, teachers and families always comes first’.

In Scotland, many schools across the Highlands remained closed for a fourth day today, as efforts to recover from days of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures continue.

This includes more than 160 schools in Aberdeenshire, dozens of schools in the Highlands, and a number of schools in Moray and Orkney.

This comes after 440 schools were closed yesterday across a number of councils in Scotland, amounting to 18 per cent of the entire school estate, with remote learning being provided in many cases.

Ministers said that while wintry weather is continuing, the severe weather affecting the north of Scotland in particular has abated, allowing the recovery effort to begin.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said yesterday: ‘While the most severe weather has now abated, there is now significant work taking place to ensure that those hardest hit can return to as close to normality as possible.

‘The fact that major transport links are open is significantly helping to ensure that people have access to the services and supplies they need.

‘Work is now focusing to ensure that those who have experienced the most severe disruption, particularly the vulnerable, are being supported, with access routes and services reopened as soon as possible.

‘There are well-established, tried and tested processes at a national and local level for mutual support between local authorities, health boards, health and social care partnerships and other public sector agencies and the voluntary and community sectors.’ 

Network Rail Scotland said the vast majority of Scotland’s railway had reopened yesterday, though there were still ‘challenges due to deep snow’ on the Inverness to Wick/Thurso line, with teams set to work through last night to clear it.

On the roads, Highland Council said there were overnight road closures due to snow on the A836 Lairg to Tongue road and the A897 Kinbrace to Halladale road, while Traffic Scotland said snow gates are shut on the A939 Cock Bridge to Tomintoul and the B974 Bridge of Dye.

Police Scotland urged people to follow travel advice.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: ‘Local resilience partnerships are continuing to meet to co-ordinate and deliver the response to disruption experienced by communities in the north and north-east of Scotland following heavy snowfall over the weekend.

‘We have been working closely with resilience partners across local authorities, other emergency service partners, transport partners, NHS and health and social care partnerships, and other local organisations to support communities affected by adverse weather and keep public services open where possible.

‘Some services may be impacted by adverse weather and I would encourage the public to check on neighbours or relatives, if they are able to do so safely.’

Posting on social media, First Minister John Swinney said: ‘I am very grateful to all public bodies and volunteers for the support that is being provided. Please stay safe.’

He had earlier paid tribute to the ‘truly exceptional’ efforts of farmers, volunteers and members of the public in helping clear roads, dig out cars and keep people safe, which he said showed ‘heartening’ community spirit.

From the joy of children on an extended Christmas break to communities pulling together: How the Daily Mail’s CLAIRE ELLIOT has seen her Highland village buried in snow

By CLAIRE ELLIOT

It started out as a gentle fall that covered the fields, walls and roofs of our Highland village with a beautiful dusting of snow.

But the picture-postcard setting soon lost its lustre as the downpour became relentless, turning a sense of wonder into a feeling of almost suffocation.

My family and I live in the heart of the Aberdeenshire countryside and the last week has, by turn, seen joy and frustration as we tried to live a normal life while blanketed in three feet of the white stuff.

There have been fun moments playing in the snow with my two daughters, sledging and enjoying the camaraderie and great community spirit that comes when times get tough.

But the frustration started to kick in as the snow never stopped and the sense of being trapped kicked in.

Local tractor drivers have been legends at keeping roads and paths open, making their voluntary rounds at the crack of dawn every morning and well into the evenings. The high mounds of snow dumped by the diggers around the village has even made perfect man-made slopes for local youngsters to enjoy sledging down.

Thankfully we are lucky enough not to have been trapped in our home like so many of our neighbours living down remote tracks (not that I have been brave enough to venture out in the worst of the conditions).

In fact, after pulling on the wellies and piling on extra layers, the furthest I have been in the last few days is the short knee-high deep trudge to the log shed to make sure the fire is stoked or over the wall to the back field for a fun snowball fight with the family or to go sledging.

By day four of the heavy Arctic blast, however, even the sledging tracks were looking more like a toboggan run as the sides were several inches high, and trying to get up out of the extremely deep snow at the bottom of the hill was a challenge.

Tomorrow marks the fifth day off school for my two daughters and no signs of a thaw has meant even their enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonder is now beginning to wane a little as it has become too deep to fully enjoy. Some gates have become almost covered and if I’d to hazard a guess I’d say close to three feet has fallen, not including the drifts.

Even a walk around the braes before work feels like an exhausting gym workout with snow in most part up to my knees. I had to do a double-take walking past the sheep in one field as it looked like they were gliding through the snow with no legs. It was only on proper inspection I realised they too were struggling in the depths. But the farmer quickly put that right, clearing several routes around the park for them to manoeuvre.

For the most part we have hunkered down and lit the fire, staying warm and cosy inside as snowflakes – sometimes the size of 50p pieces – made their untiring route to the nearest solid landing spot.

Working from my upstairs office, and ironically writing about the weather, I have to admit it still looks like an idyllic winter wonderland.

But spare a thought for my husband, who like so many others, has faced the daily chore of digging out the driveway every morning to go to work, only to return and have to do it all over again. It was my turn at the weekend and it was hard work, not the shovelling part, but stretching up to reach the top of the piles of snow already there with a heavy weight in hand as I ran out of space to put it.

My husband’s job lately has been taking photographs of the extreme conditions around the region. There has been no shortage of shots to take. He has told me he has driven on roads with eight feet of snow piled either side and been met with empty shelves at the nearest supermarket 10 miles from us.

Food stocks in our own kitchen cupboards even began running low with evening dinner an imaginative concoction of whatever was left in the freezer or on the shelves for a couple of nights. But at least my husband has been able to get out and about, even if it wasn’t very far.

And our legendary shop keeper Anne desperately made sure no one was left wanting for essentials, even when major deliverers were unable to reach the north-east.

‘It just won’t stop falling’ is a phrase I’ve heard in the village for days now and, even on Wednesday night after temperatures seemed to be rising, there was a further dump of at least five inches.

My elderly neighbour, who is in his 80s, tells me it’s the most snowfall he can remember seeing over successive days, while other villagers – one a midwife – told how they almost became stranded on their way to or from work.

But having lived in this part of Scotland for more from than 20 years it was no surprise to learn that local farmers were only too happy to oblige and give them a friendly tow home.

Locals crofters have even taken to social media asking if anyone they know needs help in their efforts to make sure no one is left trapped without aid or food.

Others have been volunteering to clear driveways and collect prescriptions, while those brave enough to make the ten-mile journey to the nearest town for supplies have been offering to shop for those less able.

I am hopeful that the worst is over for now as we await what winter can throw at us next.

The abiding memory of the last week or so though has been the joy of the children with their extended Christmas break, and the astonishing ability of communities like mine to pull together at times of crisis.

While us Scots are often quick to complain that it’s too hot or too cold, too wet or too snowy, we know when to come together.

The comeback kids: Baby goats dumped in a freezing rubbish bin hours after birth make miracle recovery 

By KEVIN DONALD

A pair of baby goats dumped in a dustbin in freezing conditions when they were just hours old have had a miraculous escape.

There seemed little prospect that Biffa and Veolia, both Anglo Nubian goats, would survive after a shocked passer-by heard tiny bleats from inside a public bin on January 5.

Peering into the darkness they were able to see the two tiny figures lying huddled amongst the rubbish, their umbilical cords still present and wet, indicating they’d been born only hours earlier.

Looking up, the rescuer saw the bin was within yards of a vets practice in Ashford, Kent, and ran into reception with the kids held close.

It saved the lives of the stricken duo, who were christened after two of the UK’s leading refuse firms.

Biffa Waste Management has now stepped in and agreed to fund the ongoing care and veterinary bills for Biffa the goat for the next year.

On receiving the kids, veterinary staff kept the weak brother and sister warm while frantically ringing around to find colostrum, nutrient-rich milk that might save their lives.

They discovered a local sheep farm had a ewe which had recently given birth and was willing to donate the life-saving milk.

The kids were then taken to Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats in Monchelsea, near Maidstone, where staff set to work ensuring their survival.

Today the goats – named after two of the UK’s major refuse collection firms – are showing signs of a full revival, with both starting to run around their enclosure.

Ben Ward, Head of Hoofstock at the sanctuary, said: ‘It’s very fortunate that the two survived after being placed in a bin hours after their birth in such cold weather.

‘It’s fortunate that someone was passing by and looked inside the find them.. Their umbilical cords were with them and still wet which can only mean they had been born a matter of hours earlier.

‘It’s very sad that someone would do that and we can only speculate on the reason for it, but it seems likely they were placed in the bin near a vet’s on purpose in the hope they might be found in time.

‘The vet contacted us to ask whether we would be able to take them once they were stable enough to be released and of course we agreed.

‘Thankfully the kids were able to get colostrum from a sheep, which may have saved them. It is very rich in nutrients and gave them strength when they really needed it. 

‘I went to pick them up. I was off duty that day so went along with my two-year-old son Ezra in his baby seat and we took the goats back to the sanctuary.

‘They both looked very poorly and we were concerned they might not make it and they’re still not completely out of the woods.

‘However Veolia is really showing signs of coming round, she was running after me in her pen and becoming quite animated and lively.

‘And Biffa is coming round very well too, so we’re hoping that both will go on to lead full lives.’

A spokesman for the sanctuary added: ‘Veolia has taken her first tentative steps, and while still unsteady, she is gaining strength and confidence.

‘Biffa continues to battle with the fluid on his lungs, but his determination and character is shining through. Both have a long road ahead, and we remain committed to giving them the best possible care.

‘This heartbreaking case reminds us why our work matters, and why awareness is so important. We urge the public to consider the impact of abandonment and to support charities like ours that fight for the welfare of vulnerable animals.’

To help Biffa and Veolia on their journey to recovery, Buttercups is inviting donations by clicking here.

Georgia Gibson, Biffa’s Social Value Manager, said: ‘Seeing Biffa and Veolia safe and cared for after such a traumatic start is truly heartwarming. Their story is a reminder of the incredible work Buttercups does every day to give vulnerable animals a second chance.’