DORSET is set to be battered by heavy rain after the Met Office issued a weather warning.

The first drops were forecast to fall about 3pm and the weather warning is in place until 9pm this evening.

A statement from the Met Office said: "Please be aware of the risk of localised surface water flooding and disruption to transport, particularly where the heavy rain occurs over urban areas.

"Rain has turned heavy across parts of southwest England with rainfall totals of 10-20 mm within an hour over more southern parts of Devon."