Coastal areas in south and southwest England and most of Wales are on alert ahead of a major storm system that has triggered warnings of dangerous conditions and disruption across the UK and Ireland.

The Met Office has named a new storm as winds of up to 80mph are expected to hit the UK this weekend. Storm Éowyn is forecast to make landfall in Ireland late on Thursday before moving on to the rest of the UK on Friday according to Met Office models.

A rare, red warning has also been issued by Ireland's weather service across all counties ahead of the arrival of Storm Eowyn, saying it will bring "severe, damaging and destructive gusts".

The UK Met Office has chosen the name Éowyn for the storm system brewing out in the Atlantic - and it could be a very bad one for Ireland and our neighbours with damaging gusts likely on Friday. Both Irish and UK meterologists are now closely tracking the low pressure system that the Met Office says will lead to travel disruption,