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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Vicki Newman

O2 Arena forced to cancel Fugees gig as group tour for 25th anniversary

A Fugees gig at London's O2 Arena was cancelled.

The band was set to perform at the famous venue in North Greenwich on Friday night as part of their Score 25th Anniversary Tour.

Unfortunately for fans, the gig was cancelled.

The concert had been halted way before Storm Eunice ripped a hole in the venue's iconic roof.

It is not yet known if any further performances will have to be pulled.

A video captured by social media user Ben Hubbard showed a huge tear through the white fabric of the structure.

Some of the panelling was seen falling into the nearby Thames (PA)
Footage showed damage caused to the iconic venue (@BJFHubbard / twitter)

He said: "The Millennium Dome is being shredded to pieces by the high wind conditions.

"First one panel was ripped off, then another went too.

"How much more will this thing be destroyed?"

Before long, six panels of the tent had been ripped away, leaving a gaping hole that revealed the inside of the iconic venue on the bank of the River Thames.

The roof of the O2 has been ripped off in Storm Eunice (PA)

Sharing a second shocking video of the O2, Ben wrote: "Dome update - six panels shredded and counting !"

Confirming this evening's cancellation, a spokesperson for the 02 told Mirror: "“Due to today’s adverse weather conditions, we can confirm that there has been some damage caused to the tent fabric in our roof at The O2.

"The affected areas have been cleared and The O2 will remain closed for the rest of the day. The safety of our visitors remains of paramount importance, and we will continue to assess the ongoing situation and act accordingly.”

With videos of the battered going viral on social media today, one user replied to the clip: "I imagine the struts are strong - the concrete blocks they go into are huge. But you never know - didn’t expect to see the sheets opened up and they’re talking about 200mph gusts"

While another joked: "This hasn't been seen since Led Zeppelin blew the roof off in 2007!"

And one asked: "Are there now massive pieces of fabric floating down the Thames?"

The damage to the O2 comes as the UK is in the midst of a record-breaking storm, with winds of up to 122mph recorded earlier today.

The Met Office has issues two rare red alerts for wind for both the south west and south east, lasting into this afternoon.

Across the country, roads have been blocked by falling trees and debris and commuters in part of the north and Scotland woke up to a blanket of snow.

Rail services across the country have also been cancelled while flights have been delayed or cancelled all together.

People have been told to travel only if it is absolutely necessary.

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