Wind warning in place as Storm Ashley hits

Power cuts, large waves and travel disruption are expected in Cumbria as parts of the UK are hit by Storm Ashley.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Sunday for wind across Cumbria and an amber high wind warning for some western areas in Scotland.

The yellow warning for high winds gusting up to 60mph (97km/h), affecting all of Cumbria, began at 03:00 BST and will last until about midnight.

Meteorologists said Storm Ashley, the first named storm of the season, would see a rapid drop of pressure as it moves in from the Atlantic - a phenomenon called a "weather bomb".

The strong winds, combined with high tides, could lead to dangerous conditions, including possible delays or cancellations to travel.

The Met Office has warned of possible power cuts, minor damage to buildings and large coastal waves bringing debris onto coastal roads and properties.

The warning is for wind gusts of 50-60mph (80-97km/h) inland and 60-70mph (97-113km/h) on coasts and hills.

Electricity North West said it would "monitor the network and ensure supplies and teams are available to respond if the storm causes damage to overhead lines".

Richard Moulton, incident manager for Electricity North West, said: "The forecast is for extremely strong winds across Cumbria and surrounding areas."

"Our local teams are on standby and ready to respond quickly to support our customers," he added.

Meanwhile, rail operator Northern urged customers to check their journey before travelling in the North West on Sunday.

It said crew shortages and Storm Ashley would affect travel.