Winds of up to 50 miles an hour have caused chaos at Workington's Christmas festival.

Severe weather warnings are in place from the Met Office and many of the scheduled events have been moved or cancelled and tomorrow's events have been cancelled.

Stalls on Finkle Street were moved to the Carnegie Theatre while stalls outside the Entertainer toy shop were not put up.

The performances that were scheduled this afternoon have been postponed, but the Christmas lights switch-on will go ahead as normal at 6pm.

Organisers had drawn up contingency plans in the event of bad weather and met early this morning.

Toni Magean, town centre manager, said: "The weather has been against us and a challenge. We hoped it would break, but it didn't. 

"We have been doing the light switch-on for a number of years and we have been very lucky and successful, but this year it's been against us.

"It's been disappointing and challenging, but we've done what we can."

Tomorrow's Winter Wonderland events have been cancelled, but Santa's Grotto on Campbell Savours Way will be open as normal between 10am and 4pm.

A concert featuring all the bands that were due to perform on Sunday will take place instead at St Michael's Church in Workington.