A lorry driver has been charged after his vehicle was blown over in strong winds, leading to the closure of the Forth Road Bridge.

The incident happened at about 2am on Wednesday.

No-one was injured but the bridge is likely to remain closed for some time as high winds hamper recovery efforts.

The bridge operators said it was closed to high-sided vehicles at the time of the incident.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "A 54-year-old man has been charged following a collision on the Forth Road Bridge at around 2am on January 11.

"A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal."

High winds have brought travel disruption and power cuts as they buffet parts of the country.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings of wind and snow for Scotland, the north of England and Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

The bridge operators said they are working to reopen the route as soon as possible.

Mark Arndt, Amey's operating company representative for the Forth Road Bridge, said: "It's most likely that we'll be able to reopen one lane of the northbound carriageway later today, however we will need a crane to remove the HGV from the southbound carriageway, and this work is highly dependent on the prevailing wind speeds.

"We are continuing to monitor the forecast and have a team mobilised and ready to respond as soon as it is safe to do so, but it is very likely the bridge will remain closed through the morning peak.

"We know that closing the bridge has a serious impact on people's journeys and it's regretful that this situation has arisen."

Tricky driving conditions are expected on Wednesday as gusts of up to 75mph and wintry weather sweep across northern areas of the UK.

A gust of 77mph was recorded in Tiree while South Uist was hit by one of 73mph.

Galeforce winds and blizzard-like conditions could bring travel disruption to some parts of the country.

Several centimetres of snow could settle on higher ground in parts of Scotland while lower areas will receive a dusting.

Forecaster Craig Snell said the winds would drop off during the afternoon but pick up again by Wednesday evening, leading to a combination of wind and snow.

The mix could bring "blizzard-like conditions across parts of Scotland", leading to "some very tricky driving conditions".

There is also a chance of thunder and lightning, which could disrupt the power supply and bring so-called "thundersnow".

Temperatures may drop to minus 5C (23F) in parts of Scotland and freezing conditions are also possible in England.

The forecaster said it might feel mild in the morning across the country but people would "notice the chill" when they headed home after work.

By Thursday, the stream of cold air will spread further south, bringing hazardous conditions to much of the UK.

Rod Dennis, of the RAC, said drivers should be prepared for "tricky driving conditions and significantly extended journey times".

Electricity distributor SP Energy Networks urged people to be prepared for power loss by taking steps such as keeping a battery-powered torch to hand, keeping a mobile phone charged and unplugging powered equipment such as TV and laptop as well as heaters, electric fires and cookers.

SP Energy Networks director Guy Jefferson said: "Although power cuts are rare events for most people, it makes sense to be prepared just in case.

"If there is a power outage, our team of engineers are on hand to fix faults and get people's power supply back as soon as possible.

"Our customer service team also work around the clock to keep residents informed, provide advice and take reports of power loss - the quicker we are alerted to a power cut, the quicker we can respond."

The company also advised customers to keep the SP Energy Networks and new national 105 helpline numbers close to hand. The SP Energy Networks helpline is 0800 092 9290.

Customers can ask to be included on the priority service register if electricity is crucial to their health.