Storms set to batter Britain

Storm force winds with gusts of up to 80mph were expected to batter Southern England and Wales again tonight.

Britain's Met Office issued a severe weather warning for the region with a 70% risk of gale force winds.

The forecast follows a night of gales in much of the South and South West. Gusts of 80mph were reported in Bournemouth.

There were few problems reported on the roads but coastguards at Brixham, near Plymouth, were called out to help a cargo vessel with 20 people on board which had shed hundreds of tonnes of timber in high seas.

The Bothnia Stone was half way between the UK and France in storm force nine winds when crew reported that seawater had flooded the engines at 11pm.

The crew managed to re-start the engines and the boat, which was listing, was today limping back to Torbay, shadowed by a coastguard rescue helicopter.

Roger Brimacombe, Watch Manager at Brixham Coastguard, said: ‘‘The French Coastguard are warning shipping of the dangers posed by the timber, and our colleagues in Falmouth Coastguard are also making similar warning broadcasts in their area.’’

As well as gales forecast for the South and South West, the PA WeatherCentre forecast heavy rain for Northern Ireland and the North of England tomorrow.

A deep low pressure system was due to force winds with an average speed of 50mph across most of the South West by this evening.

A WeatherCentre spokeswoman said: ‘‘It is going to be much worse in the South and South West were there will be a 70% risk of gale force winds.

"The winds will not really pick up until tonight, when gusts of up to 80mph could batter southern England and Wales, and southern Ireland."

Some rain was also expected in the South West tonight, where winds were today due to ease before picking up again tonight, but the North was due to see up to 15mm of rain tomorrow.

The winds were expected to ease by lunchtime tomorrow with East Anglia being the last area of the country affected.