Stormy weekend ahead

A weekend of strong winds and rain is forecast today for the south of England.

"There will be severe gales gusting up to 65 or 70 mph along the Channel early on Saturday, with winds gusting up to 40mph in many other areas," warned the PA WeatherCentre.

"Areas most affected by the high winds tonight and tomorrow will include southern and south-west England and south Wales, although it will be windy pretty much everywhere.

"There will also be rain in the South-West early on Saturday which will spread quickly across the UK, falling as sleet or snow on its northern edge."

The warning came today as Cornish coastguards renewed their search for a 31-year-old Japanese student who was swept into the sea near Tintagel yesterday.

He was on a walking holiday with a party of international students from a college in East Sussex.

The 16-strong group were walking along a footpath when a huge wave washed over them, dragging the unnamed man out to sea.

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