Scotland and Ireland to be hit by tail end of Hurricane Ophelia.

Hurricane Ophelia is to batter the UK and Ireland with gusts of up to 80mph, posing a danger to life and threatening travel chaos.

Schools, government buildings and courts are due to close in parts of Ireland on Monday, with the Met Office issuing severe weather alerts, warning of potential power cuts, and disruption to transport and mobile phone signal.

Airports are advising passengers in Ireland to check the latest information, with a number of Aer Lingus flights cancelled due to severe weather and the prospect of further cancellations with other carriers.

All schools and colleges in the Republic of Ireland will close for the day as fears mount over the damage the storm could wreak.

The tropical storm has made its way across the Atlantic and Ophelia's remnants are set to reach home shores on Monday, resulting in "exceptional'' weather - exactly 30 years after the Great Storm of 1987 killed 18 people.

Very windy weather is expected across the entire region, while a yellow warning is in place for much of Wales, Scotland, north east England, north west England, south west England and the West Midlands.

Gusts of 55-65mph are likely along with heavy rain.

Met Office forecaster Luke Miall said that while storms with these wind speeds tend to happen at this time of year, the one on its way is "quite a substantional system.

Mr Miall said Ophelia will have gone through a transition on its way across the Atlantic and will no longer be a hurricane, but will still bring "hurricane-force'' winds.

Loganair in Scotland is offering free flight changes on routes that could be hit by the severe weather conditions.

The airline said at the moment it still intends operating a normal full schedule on Monday and Tuesday.