Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Sections of the fabric roof of London’s O2 arena have been shredded by the strength of Storm Eunice’s winds, causing the venue to close.
Opened in 2000, and formerly known as the Millennium Dome, the landmark in Greenwich, south-east London, has been damaged by gusts of up to 80mph.
The building has been evacuated and will be shut for the rest of Friday.
“The safety of our visitors remains of paramount importance,” the O2 said in a statement.
“We will continue to assess the ongoing situation and act accordingly,” a spokesperson added.
The venue was renamed the O2 in 2007 and hosts concerts and sporting events. It contains a cinema and a range of shops and restaurants.
Primary school teacher Lucy Sloman described hearing a “big bang” before being ushered away by security.
She told the BBC: “I looked up to see part of the roof had ripped. My parents were quite shaken.”
The band Simply Red, who had been scheduled to play a concert this weekend which was cancelled due to Covid, described the developments as “tragic”.