The Orwell Bridge near Ipswich is set to close due to the 'potentially damaging winds' expected to hit the county from Storm Ciarán.

Drivers are advised to plan their journeys ahead of the closure, which has been announced by National Highways. 

The bridge will be shut from 12am on Thursday (November 2) for 24 hours. Suffolk is braced for its second bout in quick succession, with Storm Ciarán to bring winds of 60mph in inland areas.

A yellow weather warning has been issued by the Met Office, and will be in place from midnight on Thursday.

A spokesman for National Highways said: "The decision to close the bridge at midnight has been taken to allow road users to plan alternative routes and for National Highways to safely install the closure and diversions ahead of the predicted high winds."

Diversion routes will be in place while the Orwell Bridge is closed.

For drivers heading eastbound, the diversion will take traffic from the A14 at junction 55 Copdock Mill onto the A1214 through Ipswich, before taking the second exit at Woodbridge Road roundabout onto the A1189 to Felixstowe Road.

This continues onto A1156 before re-joining the eastbound A14 at junction 58 Levington.

The westbound diversion will take the same route in reverse.