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Woman who became online sensation after being lifted into the air by shop shutters dies

David BenjaminJanuary 9, 2026

A video of Anne Hughes being hoisted up by a shop shutter in Wales was viewed more than 100 million times (Photos: Wales News Service)

A grandmother in Wales who became an internet hit after being hoisted 10ft into the air by a shop’s shutters has died.

Anne Hughes’ coat had got entangled in the electronic shutters as they were being opened and she was left dangling upside down.

A CCTV video of the incident, which thankfully left her unscathed, was viewed more than 100 million times.

Although intially somewhat embarrased, Anne soon saw the funny side and ended up embracing her newfound fame.

Now it’s emerged that she sadly passed away shortly before Christmas, after being diagnosed with caner.

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A family friend said: ‘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.’

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Undated handout photo issued by Tee2Sugars of Anne Hughes with the artwork by Tee2Sugars of her being hoisted off the ground outside the Best One convenience store in Tonteg, Wales. The local artist in Wales has paid tribute to the woman who took the internet by storm when she became caught in a shop's moving shutter. Issue date: Friday March 15, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCIAL Shutter. Photo credit should read: Tee2Sugars/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. — A graffitti artist imortalised the Anne in her precarious upside down position on the shutters that took her up (Picture: Tee2Sugars/PA Wire)

‘It’s sad that she’s gone but she has left us with a memory that will always bring a smile to people’s faces.’

Anne was working as a part-time cleaner at the Best One Shop in Tonteg when she was taken for the unexpected ride in March 2024.

The video shows her waiting out the front of the store as shopkeeper Amir Akram – who is out of shot – begins opening the shutters.

Anne’s coat then gets caught and the shutters start to lift her up. She tries to unhook herself but with no success and keeps rising – the whole time holding on to her shopping trolly.

After hearing Anne’s cries Amir rushes out and manages to lower her safely down to the ground.

The store later posted the video on its Facebook site, 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!!’

A grandmother who went viral after being hoisted 10ft into the air on a shop shutter has died two years later. Anne Hughes, 73 (pictured) was left dangling outside the village shop and footage of the incident was viewed over 100 million times on TikTok and other sites. Anne was stood outside the store with her shopping trolley when shopkeeper Amir Akram opened the electronic shutters and her coat became entangled. Mr Akram was unaware Anne was outside being lifted off the ground until he heard her cries for help. A 31-second clip showed him running to the mother-of-three's aid and lowering the shutters of the Best One shop. Anne was returned to land unharmed and laughed about her experience at the shop where she worked as a part time cleaner in Tonteg, near Pontypridd, South Wales. She joked: "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." But Anne, who had been battling cancer, tragically died in hospital shortly before Christmas with her family at her bedside. A family friend said: "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. "It's sad that she's gone but she has left us with a memory that will always bring a smile to people's faces." Anne was immortalised in an artwork outside the shop and the BBC confirmed the video was the most watched on its site of all time. But she turned down numerous approaches to appear on TV including shows like Good Morning Britain and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year as she got on with her family life. WALES NEWS SERVICE — Anne died after being diagnosed with cancer (Photo: Wales News Service)

A grandmother who went viral after being hoisted 10ft into the air on a shop shutter has died two years later. Anne Hughes, 73 (pictured) was left dangling outside the village shop and footage of the incident was viewed over 100 million times on TikTok and other sites. Anne was stood outside the store with her shopping trolley when shopkeeper Amir Akram opened the electronic shutters and her coat became entangled. Mr Akram was unaware Anne was outside being lifted off the ground until he heard her cries for help. A 31-second clip showed him running to the mother-of-three's aid and lowering the shutters of the Best One shop. Anne was returned to land unharmed and laughed about her experience at the shop where she worked as a part time cleaner in Tonteg, near Pontypridd, South Wales. She joked: "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." But Anne, who had been battling cancer, tragically died in hospital shortly before Christmas with her family at her bedside. A family friend said: "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. "It's sad that she's gone but she has left us with a memory that will always bring a smile to people's faces." Anne was immortalised in an artwork outside the shop and the BBC confirmed the video was the most watched on its site of all time. But she turned down numerous approaches to appear on TV including shows like Good Morning Britain and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year as she got on with her family life. WALES NEWS SERVICE — Anne just before she’s rescued (Picture: Wales News Service)

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.’

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

Although she took all the attention in her stride, Anne also wanted to get on with family life and turned down numerous appearences to appear on shows like Good Morning Britain and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.

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