Storm Pia: Strong winds hitting parts of Northern Ireland

Storm Pia has brought strong winds to parts of Northern Ireland overnight amid a yellow weather warning.

Named by the Danish met office, Pia brought the strongest winds towards the north coast.

Gusts of up to 45-55mph (72-88km/h) were expected, reaching in excess of 60 mph (96 km/h).

Police advised drivers of potential disruption due to fallen trees and debris throughout the day.

A Met Office weather warning, for potentially damaging winds, ended at 15:00 GMT on Thursday.

It urged people on the coast to be aware of large and potentially life-threatening waves.

Fallen trees

A fallen tree on a railway line has caused major travel disruption as trains are cancelled from Bangor to Belfast

In County Down, trains were cancelled from Bangor to Belfast due to a fallen tree. Translink had warned of knock-on disruption.

In Loughgall, the Drumilly Road was closed at the junction of the Ballygasey Road due to a fallen tree.

The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) advised the public not to visit forests, country parks, and nature reserves until the winds subside.

Storm Pia also sparked weather warnings across the Republic of Ireland from Irish weather service Met Éireann.

The organisation warned of difficult driving and cycling conditions, large coastal waves, and debris with loose objects being displaced.

The winds were expected to subside by Thursday evening, but it will remain blustery with spells of rain.

The outlook for the run-up to Christmas is to remain mild but windy with gusty winds, often cloudy with spells of rain or showers.

Christmas Day should see temperatures dipping closer to average, at about seven or eight degrees.