Holidaymakers prepare for Hurricane Milton

Melissa Rutter and partner Daniel King are on holiday in Orlando, Florida, as Hurricane Milton heads towards the state

A couple on holiday in Orlando are preparing to bunker down in their hotel ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

Melissa Rutter and her partner Daniel King, from Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire, said they were "quite nervous" as the powerful category five storm heads towards Florida.

Steven Hartill, originally from Wolverhampton but who now lives in the Orlando area, said he had been securing his property, adding that his family were "ready as best we can be".

Millions of people in the state are rushing to evacuate, with Milton expected to hit the Tampa area later alongside winds of up to 165mph.

Steven Hartill, who works at Universal Studios, has been securing his property and helping at the amusement park

US President Joe Biden has warned residents that leaving was a matter of "life and death" ahead of the hurricane's landfall.

Ms Rutter, who is staying at the Hilton Hotel in Orlando, said "current predictions" were that the area was "in the path of the hurricane".

Speaking of the view from her window, she described the scene as "eerily calm" with clear blue skies and "no wind".

Ms Rutter said the pair had stocked up on food and water as they prepared for the storm's arrival

"We went to the shop yesterday and stocked up on water and food as we are told that we could lose some power and water potentially," she told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"I think the anxiety kind of kicking in... for me, it's definitely kicking in quite a bit now."

The pair said they had received a letter from the hotel advising that staff would be reduced on the site as a precaution, and that all furniture should be brought inside from the balcony in preparation for the storm.

Mr King said local people had been "very proactive" but were still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, which killed more than 200 people.

"I’ve been to Florida a few times now and through a few different hurricanes, but this is the only time where everybody local seems to be very, very worried about it," he said.

"This is just going to compound it, all the damage that has been caused."

The pair told the BBC that despite having a car, other options to flee the storm were impractical, with roads busy in the area as people attempted to evacuate.

Ms Rutter added they had been due to fly home on Wednesday afternoon, but the flight had since been cancelled.

"We have managed to get on to a flight on Friday evening, but obviously that could potentially be cancelled as well, depending on the damage to the area and the airport," she explained.

Mr Hartill said he was worried about the impact of the hurricane on his home in Minneola

Mr Hartill, who works at Universal Studios, said he and his family had been making sure everything was secure and had been boarding up windows before the hurricane hit.

"I’m not going to lie to you, this one feels a little different," he said.

"Central Florida - Orlando, Minneola where I am, Kissimmee - we normally don't get bigger hurricanes hit us... they’re talking a Cat Four now in Tampa and by the time it hits us we're looking at three, possibly two, all around this area.

"So, it's a little different this time, because it is coming directly at us. It normally does not do that."

Mr Hartill said he had his wife, granddaughter, mother-in-law and pets in the house to care for, but they were as prepared as they could be.

He works at Universal Studios and he said he had also been helping out there by securing and preparing the area.

Power outages were likely, he added, and he also said he had concerns about trees being uprooted and causing damage.

"We'll get through it," he added.