Storm Brian: 'Weather bomb' batters Britain and Ireland

Storm Brian has caused disruption and whipped up seas in parts of Britain as winds of almost 80mph (129kmh) battered southern and western areas.

A Met Office yellow warning for wind was issued until midnight across the whole of southern England up to the Midlands, and for most of Wales.

Police shut Aberystwyth seafront - which was being hit by large waves - and confirmed it would stay off limits all weekend.

The highest gusts of 78mph were recorded in the Llyn Peninsula in northwest Wales, the Met Office said.

Sky's weather producer Jo Robinson said the second named storm of the season, had been caused by a "weather bomb" of low pressure in the Atlantic.

Emergency speed restrictions were also imposed on many Welsh train services, while British Airways said a "very small number of customers will be re-booked onto alternative flights".

Stormy seas and high tides meant waves battered coasts and harbours, with dramatic pictures coming in from places such as Porthleven in Cornwall and Newhaven in East Sussex.

The Environment Agency issued a handful of flood warnings, meaning immediate action is required, and dozens of less serious flood alerts.

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On Saturday evening there were still three warnings in place - all in southwest England - for Chiswell, Lyme Regis Harbour and West Bay Harbour.

The weather also forced the cancellation of Saturday's events in the Great South Run in Portsmouth and Southsea.

The storm is expected to continue into Lancashire later on Saturday evening, with heavy rain forecast.

Ireland also felt the force of the storm - just days after Storm Ophelia killed three people there.

The River Shannon overflowed in Limerick, with places such as Merchant's Quay flooded, and water came close to some properties in Galway, but flood defences held up.

Hook Lighthouse's Twitter feed showed a video of churned-up seas hitting the rocks in County Wexford.

Also known as "explosive cyclogenesis", a "weather bomb" it is a meteorological phenomenon caused when the central pressure in an area of low pressure drops quickly.

A jet stream of strong winds high up in the atmosphere interacts with the low pressure system, causing winds powerful enough to bring down trees and cause structural damage.