SEVERE winds of up to 70mph have been forecast for Cumbria and beyond, prompting a weather warning by the Met Office.

The yellow alert will come into force at 8pm on Friday, ending at 12pm on Saturday.

It will cover all of Cumbria, including Northumberland, County Durham, plus parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire and southern Scotland.

Persistent and heavy rain is set to develop through Friday night.

A spokesman from the Met Office said: "Strong southwesterly winds are expected, with gusts of 50 to 60 mph likely.

"About some of the most exposed coastal and upland sites, gusts of 65 to 70 mph are possible."