DORSET residents are in for a blustery afternoon as the cold and windy autumn weather kicks in.

Across beaches in Bournemouth and Poole, there were few people enjoying walks to take in the natural beauty of the area, as wind and rain blew over the county.

Over at Branksome Beach, groups of kite surfers congregated on the sands to take advance of the strong, windy conditions, with brightly coloured kites blowing through the air and their owners could be seen clinging on time.

Sandbanks Beach was empty apart from a few passers-by, who enjoyed a blustery walk on seafront, including 10-year-old Lucia Hobson and her seven-year-old brother, Fabio, from Poole town centre, who were revelling in walking against the wind.

The rain is predicted to peak according to Met Office weather reports between 12noon and 6pm, with 8.9mm of rain predicted to fall during that period, before it eases up this evening in time for fireworks displays across the county.

Residents reported traffic tailbacks after describing flooding in Wareham Road in Corfe Mullen and surface water could also be seen on some other residential streets in Wimborne.