Vehicles overturn in extreme Storm Eowyn winds as major Scottish road closed in both directions

A section of the A1 in East Lothian has been closed in both directions due to a number of overturned vehicles, including a lorry, amid Storm Eowyn.

Police Scotland said the road was closed between Spott Roundabout in Dunbar and Cockburnspath in Berwickshire on Friday.

Police Scotland told drivers to avoid the area after vehicles overturned | @SETrunkRoads

The force told drivers to avoid the area. “The A1 is closed between Spott Roundabout and Cockburnspath due to a number of vehicles overturned,” the force said on social media.

“Emergency services are in attendance. Please avoid the area.”

Millions of people have been urged to stay at home as 100mph winds pose a danger to life and cause travel disruption across the UK.

Rail services, flights and ferries have been axed, with rare red weather warnings in place on Friday in Scotland and Northern Ireland between 10am and 5pm as Storm Eowyn batters the country.

The storm is likely to damage buildings, uproot trees and cause power cuts, according to the Met Office alerts.

Kate Forbes, the deputy first minister, urged Scots in the Central Belt to follow the advice not to travel.

Appearing on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, she said: “It is so important that people follow Police Scotland’s advice not to travel because if people stay at home and don’t travel then it means they don’t invite that risk to themselves.”

Ms Forbes also warned that recovery from Storm Eowyn could “take longer than we all hope”.

“It is important our expectations are managed by how quickly things can return to normal and there may well be continuing disruption tomorrow,” she said.