British billionaire and adventurer Sir Richard Branson will stay on his private Caribbean island, Necker, for the potentially devastating arrival of Hurricane Irma, the founder of the Virgin group of companies said on Tuesday.

Packing 185 mph (295 kph) winds, Hurricane Irma is due to reach the British Virgin Islands on Wednesday before grinding west across Haiti and Cuba then heading for the southern United States.

The businessman said he plans to hide in his wine cellar - and doubts there will be much wine left when the storm subsides.