Red weather warning - people urged to stay away from the coast due to Storm Arwen

The advice comes after the Met Office issued a Red Warning of Wind - the highest level of alert possible - which means there is a potential risk to life from flying debris.

This is in place until 09.00 am tomorrow morning and could result in damage to buildings and homes, disruption to power supply, mobile phone networks and significant disruption to roads and public transport.

Gusts are expected to reach up to 60 mph across much of the North East, with the possibility of northerly winds up to 80mph along the coast early this evening and through until the early hours of Saturday.

This is likely to lead to large and powerful waves with the potential for tidal surges and coastal flooding affecting along the seafront. A flood alert is in place for the Tyne and Wear coast tonight and into tomorrow morning.

Winds are expected to remain very strong along the coast right through until Saturday morning before slowly moderating during the course of Saturday afternoon.

Motorists should also take extra care on their journeys, especially when driving high sided vehicles or driving on higher and exposed routes.

Sunderland City Council is working closely with the emergency services to prepare for and tackle any problems caused by the strong winds and flooding.