Cumbria is set to be battered by strong winds as Storm Helene travels across the Atlantic.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind for Monday and Tuesday, with gusts of 80mph.

"Helene is expected to bring a period of very strong winds to western parts of the UK," said the forecaster.

The warning, which runs from 6pm on Monday until midday Tuesday, states that flying debris is possible and "could cause danger to life."

Transport services may be affected, roads and bridges closed and fallen trees could pose an additional hazard.

"There is a small chance that injuries could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts.

"There is a chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage," the warning reads.

Helene is one of four tropical storms in the Atlantic.

Hurricane Florence has sparked mass evacuations and has been described as an "impending disaster", threatening North and South Carolina.

Floodwaters were rising yesterday and more than 80,000 people were already without power as the storm began buffeting the coast, and more than 12,000 were in shelters. Another 400 people were in shelters in Virginia, where forecasts are less dire.

Tropical Storm Isaac moved into the Caribbean yesterday while Storm Helene was heading east towards the UK.

Met Office meteorologist Emma Smith said more details would soon emerge over what impact the storm might have.

She said: "Helene is moving up from the Atlantic towards us. Hurricane Joyce is also in the Atlantic so we need to see how those two systems are going to move around each other because that could have an impact."