Man found dead during Storm Éowyn was not 'hit by falling roof tiles'

'Falling roof tiles' have been ruled out by police as the cause of death of a man in Scotland, it is has been reported.

Emergency services raced to Irvine, a town near the Clyde coast in North Ayrshire, on Friday morning after receiving reports of an unresponsive man. The 49-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family have been notified, police said. Reports initially suggested the man was 'hit by falling roof tiles'. Police Scotland initially said the death was 'being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.' According to the Scottish Daily Express, it is not being treated as 'weather related.'

Shortly after 5pm, the force issued an updated statement in which they said it was being treated as 'medical related.'

"Around 10.10am on Friday, 24 January, 2025, we were called to a report of an unresponsive man in East Road, Irvine. Emergency services attended and a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His family is aware. The death is being treated as medical-related" they said.

Residents at East Road, where the man was found, said they learned of the tragedy when police knocked on their doors in the town this morning.

One man, who asked not be named, said: "The first I heard was when the police knocked at the door about 10.30am. I heard it had happened at about 6.30am. They didn't say much but I believe he was found lying under the archway. On any other morning I would have been out and would have seen him."

Wind gusts of 100mph were recorded at Drumalbin in South Lanarkshire, the strongest gust so far in the UK according to the Met Office. Winds also reached 91mph at Port Ellen on Islay and 87mph at Bishopton in Renfrewshire.

More than 40,000 homes are without power including 11,000 homes in