The Met Office has issued a “danger to life” red warning as Storm Darragh bears down on the UK. The rare warning has been issued for parts of coastal Wales due to high wind.

The Met Office warned of “danger to life due to flying debris and falling trees” and “power cuts affecting other services, such as mobile phone coverage” ahead of the storm.

Areas across South West England and Wales will be the worst affected.

The Met Office says: “A period of extremely strong winds will develop during the early hours of Saturday morning as Storm Darragh moves across the Irish Sea.

“Gusts of 90 mph or more are possible over coasts and hills of west and south Wales, as well as funnelling through the Bristol Channel with some very large waves on exposed beaches.

“The strongest winds will begin to ease from late morning, though it will remain very windy with Amber wind warnings still in force until the evening.”

The red weather warning is in place from 3am on 7 December to 11am the same day.

Yellow weather warnings are in place for the rest of the UK from 3pm today for snow, rain and wind. This continues through to Sunday 8 December where yellow warnings for wind remain in place until 6am.

The weather forecaster says those in the affected areas can expect flying debris, falling trees, large waves, beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and homes, power cuts affecting other services, damage to buildings and homes, roofs blown off and power lines brought down.

Regions and local authorities affected:

South West England

• Bath and North East Somerset
• Bristol
• Devon
• North Somerset
• Somerset
• South Gloucestershire

Wales

• Bridgend
• Cardiff
• Carmarthenshire
• Ceredigion
• Conwy
• Gwynedd
• Isle of Anglesey
• Monmouthshire
• Neath Port Talbot
• Newport
• Pembrokeshire
• Swansea
• Vale of Glamorgan