SOMERSET has been warned to brace itself as heavy rain and strong winds are set to hit the county.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for rain and wind starting from 6am on Saturday (December 15) until 6pm on Sunday (December 16).

Forecasters have warned residents in the South West to expect very strong winds, heavy rain power cuts, longer journey times and the potential for damage to buildings as winds reaching speeds of up to 60mph are set to hit the county.

A Met Office spokesman, said: "Heavy rain and gales will affect parts of Northern Ireland and South Western areas of the UK on Saturday.

"The wettest areas could see 30 to 50 mm of rain in 6 to 12 hours, while winds could gust to between 50 and 60 mph, especially in exposed coastal areas. The combination of these factors on a busy shopping weekend, may add to potential disruption."