DORSET has been blighted by strong winds and heavy rain for the past 24 hours.

Although no serious incidents have been reported by the emergency services, police did receive a call from a member of the public concerned about the safety of some tarpaulin sheets on a building site on Clifton Road, Southbourne, at 1.56pm today.

Officers attended and on arrival established that the cause was due to the weather.

They made contact with the building company responsible for the modernisation works of the property, which was called out to fix the tarpaulin.

Early this morning, trains were held up for a short time due to a tree on the line at Pokesdown.

Boscombe's Winter Solstice parade has been cancelled because of the weather, while in Christchurch carols planned for Saxon Square were moved indoors.

There have also been reports of difficult driving conditions due to flooding on the A35 between the Bakers Arms and Bere Regis.

The weather warning for the area officially expired at 4pm and Sunday’s forecast is for a drier day, but with winds still fairly strong.