STRONG to gale force winds are likely to cause damage to infrastructure and lead to travel disruption, the Met Office has warned.

It has issued a Yellow Alert covering all of Devon from 8pm today (Thursday) to Noon tomorrow.

A Met Office spokesperson said: ‘While there remains a lot of uncertainty in the detail at this stage, there is the potential for a swathe of strong winds to arrive in the southwest of England during Thursday evening and then track eastwards along the south coast of England through Friday.

‘Winds may reach 55-65 mph across the Isles of Scilly and parts of Cornwall late Thursday into Friday morning.

‘The strongest winds will then transfer along southern England coasts through Friday morning, weakening as they do so, with coastal gales and gusts of 45-50 mph possible.

‘Heavy rain will accompany these strong winds, with 20 to 30 mm possible widely, especially across the southwest of England where 40 to 50 mm could fall.’