Yellow weather warning ahead of Storm Éowyn

Yellow weather warnings for wind and rain have been issued across parts of the West Midlands ahead of Storm Éowyn.

Strong wind gusts of up to 50-60mph that could leave buildings damaged and travel disruption was expected as the storm moves eastwards through Thursday, the Met Office said.

Weather warnings have been issued across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire, and parts of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the Black Country.

A yellow warning for wind comes into force across the region from midnight until 23:59 GMT on Friday.

The Met Office has warned people to expect damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

Public transport services, including buses and trains, were also likely to be affected alongside potential power cuts for homeowners.

Heavy rain on Friday morning may cause some local flooding, with a yellow warning for rain in place in Herefordshire and Shropshire from midnight on Friday until 09:00 GMT.

In Leominster, Herefordshire, a popular market that was due to take place in Etnam Street car park on Friday has been cancelled due to the weather.

"We thank you for your understanding and look forward to welcoming you to support our traders next week," a Leominster Town Council spokesperson said.

Elsewhere in the UK, red warnings have been issued for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland on Friday as the storm arrives with severe gales.

The warnings for wind gusts mean flying debris could cause a danger to life, the Met Office said.

National Rail said severe weather may affect journeys until Saturday, with people advised to check their routes before travelling.

The storm may also affect West Midlands Railway services across their network on Friday, a spokesperson added.

Storm Eowyn - pronounced "ay-oh-win" - is the fifth named storm of the season.

It arrives weeks after Storm Darragh caused significant disruption and left a "trail of carnage", felling hundreds of trees along 500 miles of waterway in the region.

A man was taken to hospital in a critical condition after being trapped under a fallen tree in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, during the storm in December.

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