We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again.

The powerful storm has picked up strength and become a Category 2 hurricane and is now barrelling towards Europe with sustained winds of 100 mph.

It is set to make a direct hit on Britain early next week, but the storm is set to batter the tropical Azores and Spain and Portugal on its way north.

The storm is currently heading east across the Atlantic Ocean and located around 745miles (1,195km) southwest of the autonomous Portuguese Azores islands, travelling at 3mph.

Current forecasts suggest the storm will gradually turn to the north and remain well offshore of the region but Portugal has issued an amber warning across the Azores islands for rain, wind and thunderstorms.