Aintree Racecourse has said it is monitoring conditions ahead of its Halloween Family Fun Day on Sunday, with a precautionary inspection planned as Storm Boelo brings strong winds and heavy rain to Merseyside.
The Met Office has issued a wind warning active from 12pm today until 9pm tomorrow, with strong winds expected to spread across northern parts of the UK this afternoon, combined with spells of heavy rain.
Inspection set for Sunday morning
In a statement, the racecourse said it has been monitoring conditions and the weather forecast closely ahead of the event, and will hold a precautionary inspection at 8am on Sunday.
While the track is raceable, the forecast is for wind speeds to reach up to 50mph throughout the night and into the early morning, with the potential for these speeds to further increase throughout the day.
The event, which includes high-stakes jump racing, face painting and live music, is now in doubt due to the weather.
Storm Boelo impacts across the region
In Liverpool, the Met Office has forecast light rain starting at 9am this morning, with wind speeds of 23mph. From 12pm, rain is expected to get heavier and wind speeds to reach 35mph, increasing to 40mph by 1pm, before climbing to between 45mph and 49mph for the rest of the day. Similar conditions are expected tomorrow.
Initial strong southerly winds will affect parts of Scotland before more widespread and even stronger westerly winds develop later on Saturday.
The forecast has already led to the cancellation of Cream Classical at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral today, as well as the Lark Lane and Tuebrook markets.
The racecourse said the safety of its participants, racegoers and teams on site is its number one priority, and it will update everyone as soon as possible.
