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The council has made the difficult decision to advise all schools to close and has suspended many services for Friday as 100mph winds of Storm Eunice are predicted to hit the county.

The Met Office has categorised the impact of the wind in the storm as a severe amber warning which means there could be a danger to life and structural damage to property.

The council has taken the decision to put threat to life above some continuation of services and there will be disruption to residents.

All schools have been advised to close to staff and students.

Services which have been suspended include, and are not limited to, –

o   Council transport, including school and social care

o   Closure of day centres

o   Closure of all household recycling centres (HRCs, or “the tip”)

o   Suspension of bin collections. Do not put your bins out for collection on Friday 18 February. We will attempt to collect rubbish on Saturday 19 February. Food waste will be emptied on your next collection day (Friday 25 February). We hope to collect missed recycling on Saturday 26 February. Garden and commercial waste customers will be contacted separately.

o   Libraries and council owned buildings will be closed to the public

o   Roads could be closed at short notice

o   Durlston Country Park is closed and scheduled performances cancelled

Any further service disruption due to the storm, which is scheduled to hit the Dorset Council area from 5am until 9pm, will be posted here dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/emergencies-severe-weather/disrupted-services