Amber wind warning for Devon and Cornwall

People have been warned to stay away from beaches, piers and promenades in Devon and Cornwall

An approaching storm could lead to power cuts and potential hazards to the public on beaches, piers and promenades in Devon and Cornwall, the Met Office has warned.

Storm Ciarán is set to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Devon and Cornwall when it arrives on Thursday, with an amber warning for strong winds in place for both counties.

The warning is valid from 03:00 GMT until 13:00, with gusts expected to reach 70mph (112km/h) and possibly exceeding 85mph (138km/h).

Warnings have come just after parts of Cornwall were flooded by tidal surges over the weekend.

Devon County Council said there was a high chance there would "a lot of" debris on the roads, and the risk of highway flooding.

It said extra resources would be put in place, including additional staff working and monitoring the highway from the control centre in Exeter.

Additional staff will also be on standby, including tree surgeons and gully sucker to keep the drains and gullies "as clear as possible".

Cllr Stuart Hughes, the council's cabinet member for highways, said people should "use their judgement about whether it's sensible to venture out", and, if so, "to do so with the utmost care".

He said: "The unsettled weather is due to continue, with Storm Ciarán bringing another bout of heavy rain and strong winds across Devon this Wednesday and Thursday.

"With a lot of trees still in leaf, we're expecting that the high winds and heavy rain will bring down a lot of debris onto the highway, and making the risk of surface flooding in some areas more likely."

Cornwall Council said people should "take extra care and avoid exposed coastal areas".