HURRICANES are a natural Atlantic Ocean climate event, but we may well be subject to our own version of a hurricane when HS2 - which is similarly energised by much hot air - arrives here in mid Cheshire.

Here the cost of the collateral damage may well be a lot less than that caused by Irma, but to those affected here, the cost will be equally damaging.

HS2 will have a devastating effect on many residential owners and tenants, business owners and farmers, many acres of land will be swallowed up during construction, ancient woods will be ‘blown away’ to be replaced by saplings which will take a further 300 years to become ancient.

If approved, construction is due to start in 2023, so we have a lull before the eye of Phase 2b makes its presence felt in mid Cheshire, then we will have to suffer a storm of construction lasting several years.

Ewen Simpson Whatcroft