Storm from England slams into northwestern France

A winter storm lashed northeastern France with high winds, heavy rain and coastal surf before moving south Tuesday. The storm, which also caused massive problems in England, was blamed for at least one death in France, Radio France Internationale reported. A 12-year-old boy was killed Monday while working with his father, a stonemason, when a wall collapsed on him. A Russian crewman on the Dutch-registered cargo vessel Victoriaborg was missing and believed dead, authorities said. He was believed to have been swept overboard Monday about 130 miles northwest of Brest, and an intensive air search found no sign of him. The Victoriaborg, in seas more than 20 feet high, was towed out of the area to calmer waters. The storm disrupted travel Monday with most cross-channel ferry service suspended and much of the rail service in Brittany and Normandy delayed or canceled. Trains had returned to normal by Tuesday morning. About 240,000 homes and businesses, including 130,000 in Brittany, were without power when the storm was at its height. In British waters near the Scilly Isles a Norwegian vessel picked up Bernard Stamm, a Swiss yacht owner, and his crewman, Damien Guillou. Some coastal areas in Brittany endured severe flooding. In Finistere, downed trees blocked many of the roads