Photographs have emerged showing the extent of the strong winds that battered Dorset’s coastline with winds reaching around 30 miles per hour.

Dorset has seen strong winds following the arrival of Storm Kathleen on Saturday morning. The Met Office recorded winds as strong as 26mph in Bridport, 24mph in Weymouth and Dorchester, whilst winds of 29mph recorded on Portland.

Billwatch on Facebook took an array of photos showing the strong winds carrying the waves as they crashed into the cliffs on Portland Bill.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Water appeared to come through the blowhole at Cave Hole on that part of the island due to the ferocious waves in one shot. 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Another photo show the giant waves reaching high over the rocks near the iconic Dorset landmark of the lighthouse.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Another photo shows waves metres high crashing against a dwelling on the island. 

Billwatch said: “The winds certainly weren’t the strongest we can typically get up here. I think they reached between 30 to 40mph yesterday. But with the swells coming in, and high tide yesterday evening, they certainly made for some epic waves.”

Further west down the coast, Dorset Echo Camera Club member Paul Wenlock captured this stunning image of waves crashing onto the Esplanade at West Bay with some members of the public getting as close as they safely can to the conditions. 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Kathleen is the eleventh named storm in eight months and only the second time in a UK storm season that the letter K has been reached in the alphabet. No storm season has ever got beyond the letter K since the Met Office began naming storms in 2015.

More strong winds are forecast for the next week, as the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for wind that will affect primarily coastal areas in the county such as Weymouth and Portland.

For more up to date weather information, and advice on keeping yourself safe in varying conditions, visit www.metoffice.gov.uk