Storm Amy to batter Britain this weekend as Met Office warns of gales

Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, is due to affect northern parts of the UK late on Friday and into Saturday, the Met Office has warned.

- Mark Brown North of England correspondent

Forecasters said the storm was likely to bring gale-force winds of over 80mph and heavy rain to northern and western regions.

Tom Crabtree, the Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, said there was still uncertainty about the exact track Storm Amy would take and urged people to keep an eye on forecasts.

“The system will bring gale-force winds across northern and western regions, with gusts widely reaching 50 to 60mph inland in northern Britain, and potentially reaching 70 to 80mph in places,” he said.

Even stronger gusts were likely on exposed coasts and hills, mainly in the northwest, he said.