A SEVERE weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for the Cardigan area early next week with wind speeds of up to 80mph forecast.

A yellow alert is in place as Storm Helene is expected to bring a period of very strong winds late on Monday (September 17) and for a time on Tuesday.

A Met Office spokesman said: “There remains large uncertainty in Helene's exact track, however a spell of very strong winds is expected, initially for parts of south-west England and west Wales, then later south-west Scotland and the south-east of Northern Ireland.

“Winds are likely to gust to 55-65 mph quite widely in the warning area, with possible gusts of 70-80 mph in exposed areas.

“Injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible. Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some roads and bridges may close. Fallen trees may be 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.”