WILTSHIRE could by swept by winds of up to 48mph tomorrow.

And anyone near the coast on Saturday should not take 'storm selfies', a weather expert has warned.

The UK is braced for a night of heavy rain and winds before Storm Brian batters the country this weekend.

Gusts of between 50mph (80kph) and 70mph (113kph) are expected to coincide with high tides across the south of England on Saturday, with the potential to cause treacherous waves in coastal areas.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said "dramatic waves" could also pose a threat to life tomorrow warned against anyone tempted to pose for "storm selfies" along the coast.

At Avebury wind speeds could peak at 48mph between noon and 1pm while in Cricklade and Royal Wootton Bassett similar speeds are forecast slightly later.

In Chippenham wind speeds are not expected to top 46mph while 45mph is the harshest wind predicted for Devizes.

In Swindon wind speeds of more than 40mph are forecast between 10am and 4pm, possibly peaking at 47mph from 1-2pm.

The second named storm of the season is caused by a "weather bomb" of low pressure in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Met Office has now extended its yellow warning for wind to the whole of the southern and western coast of England from 4am on Saturday, with south-westerly areas thought to be among the worst affected.

The hazardous conditions come days after Storm Ophelia wrought havoc in Ireland on Monday. Three people died when the ex-tropical storm toppled trees and caused widespread damage which left thousands of homes without power.

The Irish meteorological office Met Eireann has issued an orange warning for wind across the south of the country from 6am on Saturday.

And Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the risk of strong winds in England has now also extended further north than first thought.

He said: "The rain and strong winds have edged a little further northwards.

"Gusts of 50-60mph inland seem fairly plausible, and around exposed coastal areas we can expect to see winds of between 60-70mph.

"The worst risk areas are along the south coast and the west coast, but even heading as far north as north-west England, such as the west coast of Cumbria and Lancashire, which are now in the yellow warning area."