A FLOOD alert has been issued for West Dorset.

The Environment Agency has issued an alert to warn residents of the potential for flooding along the Jurassic Coast tonight.

The alert, which particularly affects Chiswell on Portland and Lyme Regis, will be in force two hours following the time of high tide at 6.45pm.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “The forecast wind direction is west and the forecast wind strength is Force 6.”

The location covered by the alert is: Lyme Regis, Charmouth, Seatown, West Bay, Bothenhampton, Burton Freshwater, Burton Bradstock, Cogdean Beach, Chesil Beach, West Fleet, East Fleet and Chiswell.

It comes as the Met Office says one of the UK's strongest gusts of wind was recorded off Portland today. 

Wind speed off the isle reached 55mph- the third strongest reading across the country. The strongest was recorded at The Needles on the Isle of Wight as 64mph.