Met Office issues yellow weather warnings as 80mph winds expected to batter parts of Lancashire on Friday and Saturday

Heavy winds, of up to 80mph, are expected to move in from the west from 12pm on Friday, affecting coastal areas including Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.

Into Saturday, strong winds will continue to move across the whole of Lancashire and the rest of the country.

The yellow weather warning is in place until 6pm Saturday.

The Met Office is warning people to expect transport delays, damage to buildings, road and bridge closures as well as power cuts and issues with mobile phone coverage.

A Met Office spokesman, said: "The strongest winds will arrive across northern Scotland during Friday afternoon before developing further south through the evening across the rest of Scotland, Northern Ireland and some exposed coasts of northern England.

"The location and strength of the very strongest winds remains uncertain. However, gusts seem likely to reach 50 to 60 mph widely, with 70 to 80 mph possible in coastal locations."