Family fun day cancelled amid strong winds and heavy showers
High winds and lashing rain showers forced event to be called off.
Strong winds and scattered showers are battering the Black Country and Staffordshire today – and there could be more stormy weather tomorrow.
The Met Office issued a weather warning for high winds yesterday, predicting a high risk of gales throughout the weekend.
Several outdoor events due to be held – including Hednesford Festival and Wednesfield Canal Festival – bravely went ahead despite the gales.
But sadly, others had to be cancelled, including Stafford Farmers Market and the very first Chasewater Day.
Chasewater Day, which was meant to be held today at Chasewater Country Park in Burntwood for the first time, was cancelled at 8am this morning.
Organised by the Chasewater Friends, secretary Susan Williams said they were disappointed, but they needed to "look after the people first".
She said: "The ground was just sodden and the wind coming off the water was no good for the gazebos that were going to be out.
"It was just so wet. It was just a decision we had to make, for us and for our stall holders and for our visitors. We needed to look after the people first.
"It was the first event we, as the Friends, had organised – other than a few litter picks. We wanted to show everyone how lovely Chasewater Country Park is."
She added that she wasn't sure if the event would be re-organised for another date.
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Latest weather update
Greg Dewhurst, a Met Office meteorologist, said: "For the rest of the day it will stay quite windy across England and Wales, there is a yellow weather warning in place until midnight tonight.
"We're likely to continue to see gusts of 40mph to 50mph, perhaps closer to 60mph nearer to the coast."
WATCH the Met Office forecast
He said the heavy rain and thunderstorms across northern England and Scotland would continue for the rest of the day, with further heavy rain forecast until about mid morning on Sunday.
The yellow weather warning across almost all of Scotland and northern England will come to an end at midnight, but a yellow rain warning will be in force until 10am on Sunday.
Across the rest of the country, the weather is expected to be much more settled on Sunday with showers and some patches of sunshine coming through.
