Belfast has avoided the serious flooding that many feared after a tidal surge came and went without breaching defences.

Police have warned that the docks area close to Belfast city centre could flood in a tidal surge later today, but have expressed hope that serious flooding in the east of the city may now be prevented.

A lorry driver was blown off the Foyle Bridge in Derry in high winds which would have shut all comparable bridges in the United Kingdom to high-sided vehicles, an inquest heard today.