A66 closure: Major Yorkshire roads closed in both directions to all vehicles due to Storm Eowyn

Both the A66, which connects Yorkshire to the Lake District and the M6, and the A628 Woodhead Pass, which connects South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, have been closed in both directions to all vehicles.

Woodhead Pass is closed between A616 for Flouch and the A57 for Hollingworth due to the strong winds, National Highways said.

The agency said the A66 is closed between The M6 in Cumbria and the A1(M) in North Yorkshire at Scotch Corner - a stretch of almost 30 miles.

It comes as the country braces itself for winds of up to 100mph from Storm Eowyn.

Flights have been delayed, roads closed and ferry services cancelled as 100mph winds pose a danger to life in parts of the UK on Friday morning.

Rail services and flights have been axed, with rare red weather warnings issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Eowyn is likely to damage buildings, uproot trees and cause power cuts, the Met Office said.

Rail companies in Yorkshire have advised its customers not to travel to and from stations north of York today, with no trains running north of Newcastle.

Red warnings for wind have been issued by the Met Office in Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm on Friday, and for western and central areas of Scotland between 10am and 5pm.

Gusts of 80 to 90mph are expected widely inland in the warning areas, with speeds of up to 100mph likely along coasts, the forecaster said.

Amber wind warnings are also in place for Northern Ireland, the southern half of Scotland, northern England and north Wales between 6am and 9pm on Friday, and the northern half of Scotland from 1pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday.

Winds reaching 60 to 70mph will be widespread in these warning areas.

There is a yellow wind warning covering most of the UK for the entirety of Friday.