Christmas day swims cancelled as weather warning issued

• Cold and windy conditions are forecast for parts of Britain on Christmas Day, with forecasters largely ruling out a white Christmas.
• The UK Health Security Agency issued a yellow cold health alert for South West England, active from Thursday evening until 27 December, warning of potential health and social care disruptions.
• The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for strong winds across South West England and much of Wales until Christmas Day midnight, with gusts of 45-65mph expected.
• These strong winds, from an unusual direction, may cause disruption to transport and power supplies, with large waves posing an additional hazard on some coasts.
• Several Christmas Day events, including sea swims in the South West, have been cancelled due to the anticipated adverse weather conditions.