A WARNING to stay indoors as Storm Goretti swept across Cornwall proved to be the best advice as part of the roof of a tower block in St Austell was blown off.

The debris from the roof of the 11-storey Park House plunged down to a car park below, causing further damage.

The roofing material came off the top of a lift shaft at the tower block, which is managed by the St Austell-based housing association, Ocean Housing.

This allowed water to get in and the lift has been put out of service, presenting significant problems for some residents.

An Ocean Housing spokesperson said: “The roof that covers the lift motoring control room at Park House blew off during Storm Goretti, resulting in debris that affected two parked cars.

“Unfortunately, rainwater ingress subsequently impacted the lift system, which is currently out of service. We understand this presents challenges for residents with mobility needs, and members of our housing and communities team are supporting those residents to ensure they receive the help they need.

“This was an unforeseeable event caused by severe weather, but we are fully committed to repairing the damage as quickly as possible. Our team responded immediately on the night of the storm to check on residents. We cleared and made safe the affected external areas as soon as conditions allowed on Friday, January 9.

“Specialist contractors are on site today (Monday) carrying out the necessary assessments to begin repairs. Throughout this process, the safety and wellbeing of our tenants remain our highest priority. We are in regular contact with residents and will continue to provide updates and tailored support to those affected.”

The damage at Park House was caused as wild winds hit the St Austell district which was subject to a rare red weather warning issued by the Met Office for the evening of Thursday, January 8.