'Take action now' - Storm Eunice warnings issued

Professor Hannah Cloke, a natural hazards researcher at the University of Reading, said:

"The update to a red warning for London and the South East is the most severe and rarest type of warning issued by the Met Office. It reflects the greater confidence that forecasters have closer to the event that it will be really, really windy and that people are putting their lives at risk unless they take action now.

"We have seen the results of that firmer advice with schools and venues closing for the day, in advance of the wind hitting. People in amber areas should realise though that they may see gusts and impacts of the storm that are just as bad as in red areas, so this doesn't necessarily mean you will get off more lightly.

"Forecasters have got better and better at predicting extreme weather in recent years, but a good forecast is pointless if people ignore it, or don't believe it. That's when tragedies occur."