Britain braced for bad weather

People in parts of Britain have been warned to expect gales of up to 65mph.

Forecasters said the UK should brace itself for "unusual summer weather" with high-wind storms and heavy rains.

It is thought the weather would be at its worst in north-west England, Wales and the lower parts of Scotland.

Strong gusts are also expected as far south as the Bristol channel, Wales, the Midlands and parts of East Anglia.

Southern Scotland has so far seen the worst of the heavy rain, with 38mm falling in Dundrennan, on the south-western coast of Scotland.

A Met Office spokesman said the "severe gusts" could cause problems for motorists towing caravans and high-sided vehicles.

High winds caused problems across the Midlands on Sunday as fallen trees brought down power lines and blocked roads.

In Shrewsbury, 700 homes were left without power for two hours, while in Madeley, Telford, Shropshire, 2,800 addresses had no electricity for just under and hour.

A further 1,500 houses had no power for two hours in Armitage near Lichfield, Staffordshire.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.