Fallen trees blown over by Storm Ellen blocked roads in Limerick, Ireland, on the route to Belfast this morning (August 20).

The country suffered fallen trees and power lines which lead to electricity blackouts after strong winds of up to 66mph and heavy rain struck throughout the night.

Warnings came into effect on Thursday morning after the storm hit Ireland, with large swells predicted.

The Met Office said: ''Storm Ellen is currently bringing some unseasonably windy weather across the west with Wales having seen the strongest winds so far.

''Exposed southern coasts of the Republic of Ireland have also seen gusts of 89 mph at Roches Point earlier on.''

They said that Storm Ellen had developed from a "decayed tropical cyclone" and forecast it would sweep across Ireland before hitting the UK's west coast.