Woman lifted by shop shutters in viral video dies

Grandmother in Wales Passes Away After Internet Fame

A grandmother in Wales, Anne Hughes, who became an internet sensation after being hoisted 10 feet into the air by a shop’s shutters, has died.

Anne’s coat got entangled in the electronic shutters as they opened, leaving her dangling upside down.

A CCTV video of the incident, which fortunately left her unscathed, was viewed over 100 million times.

Initially embarrassed, Anne soon found humor in the situation and embraced her newfound fame.

Sadly, it has emerged that she passed away shortly before Christmas after being diagnosed with cancer.

Family and Friends Remember Anne Hughes

A family friend stated, “Anne was lovely and, luckily for her and everyone else, she had a good sense of humour.”

“She quite enjoyed her moment of notoriety and she definitely saw the funny side.”

Incident Details

Anne was working as a part-time cleaner at the Best One Shop in Tonteg when the incident occurred in March 2024.

The video shows her waiting outside the store as shopkeeper Amir Akram begins to open the shutters.

Anne’s coat got caught, and the shutters lifted her up. She tried to unhook herself but was unsuccessful, all while holding onto her shopping trolley.

After hearing Anne’s cries, Amir rushed out and safely lowered her to the ground.

Store’s Response and Anne’s Reaction

The store later posted the video on its Facebook page with the caption: “Don’t hang about like Anne, come down to Best One to get the best deals!!! The only thing going up in this shop is our staff, not the prices!!”

Anne told the media at the time, “It could only happen to me. I was embarrassed, who wouldn’t be? But looking back I can see the funny side.”

“And I’ve quite enjoyed the fame; people ask me for selfies next to the shutters.”

Tribute to Anne

In honor of Anne and her unexpected adventure, a graffiti artist spray-painted an image of her in her famous upside-down position on the shop’s shutters.

Although she took the attention in stride, Anne wanted to focus on family life and turned down numerous appearances on shows like Good Morning Britain and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.