Storm Doris expected to damage buildings and send debris flying

HEADLINE - Storm Doris expected to damage buildings and send debris flying

Storm Doris is likely to damage buildings and send debris flying when it sets in, the Met Office has warned.

An 87mph gust was recorded at Mace Head on the Galway coast in the Republic of Ireland in the early hours as Doris made its way east.

And gusts of 72mph have been recorded at Aberdaron on the west coast of Wales.

Winds are expected to increase in South Yorkshire from around 8am onwards.

Met Office meteorologist Mark Wilson said: "Winds are really starting to pick up now, mainly across western parts of the country."

Aer Lingus cancelled 12 flights between the UK and the Republic of Ireland in anticipation of the winds and Heathrow Airport has warned customers to check their flights before travelling.

Network Rail has warned of delays and cancellations after imposing speed restrictions for safety reasons.

Limits of 50mph are to be observed on some services run by Southeastern, Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern Railways, Grand Central, TransPennine Express and Virgin Trains East Coast.

Britain is expected to be battered with winds of up to 80mph at the storm's peak and Highways England has issued a weather alert on major roads.

Particularly at risk are high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes and drivers are 'strongly advised' to avoid travelling on some stretches of road in Yorkshire, the Midlands, and the East and North West.

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said: "We're expecting Storm Doris to have a significant impact on the roads throughout the day so are urging drivers to consider changing their plans if necessary and to slow down in stormy weather.

"Drivers should look out for warnings on the electronic message signs and listen for updates in radio travel bulletins."

The Met Office's amber weather warning today alerts people that 'whilst the strongest winds look to be only short-lived, damage to structures, interruptions to power supplies and widespread disruption to travel networks are likely, with a danger of injury from flying debris'.

Storm Doris is expected to move on quickly, with the worst of the weather gone by tonight.

While further Atlantic gusts will bring more rain and wind through the weekend and into next week, they are not expected to reach the heights of Doris.