HIGH winds hit the North West today as the remnants of Hurricane Katia arrived in Britain.

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning as waves lashed coastal areas and trees and branches fell on roads across the North West.

The highest wind speeds in the North West were recorded at Shap at 63mph and Crosby at 60mph.

Today's Tour of Britain cycling stage from Kendal through Cumbria and Lancashire to Blackpool was cancelled due to high winds.

Riders instead participated in an exhibition lap around Kendal in front of hundreds of spectators who braved the weather.

Two lanes of the M6 were closed this morning at Tebay after a vehicle overturned northbound at junction 38 causing delays.

Matrix signs were set to 50mph as strong winds battered the motorway between junction 37 at Kendal and junction 40 at Penrith.

Train speed restrictions were put in place on the West Coast Mainline, with the speed in Lancashire and Cumbria reduced to 50mph.

In Lancashire, trees were blown down into roads including in Clitheroe and Padiham.

Alison Cobb, meteorologist for MeteoGroup, said: "Tomorrow looks pretty similar at the moment.

"It will still be breezy across much of the UK, less windy than today, but still fresh to strong winds across many areas.

"The rain will be mostly across northern Scotland but it will gradually sink south into southern Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north east of England in the evening."

The Environment Agency issued several flood alerts for inland and coastal areas while a more serious flood warning is in place for the River Derwent from Seathwaite to Derwent Water.

The Highways Agency issued an ‘amber alert’ for high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes in the North West.

The UK sees a storm of this strength around once per year, and the remnants of a hurricane reach Britain once every few years.