A new amber warning for heavy rain has been issued for parts of England this evening, as wet and windy weather elsewhere in the country forced the cancellation of New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Outdoor events planned for 31 December as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will not take place, and events on the 30th were also cancelled.

A spokesperson said events in the city centre of the Scottish capital, including fireworks from the castle, are unable to go ahead “on the grounds of public safety” due to “high winds and inclement weather”.

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Meanwhile, organisers of a planned fireworks display in Blackpool said it has also been cancelled due to the weather.

Visit Blackpool said only the pyrotechnics have been affected, with the rest of the New Year’s Eve Family Party to continue as planned, including free ice skating and a projection light show.

More bad news came on Tuesday evening when the Met Office issued an amber warning for rain over an area from Preston to Bradford. It is in place as of 8.38pm on Tuesday evening until 9am on Wednesday morning.

“Persistent and, at times heavy, rain will continue overnight before clearing southwards on Wednesday morning,” the forecaster said.

“40-50mm rain is expected fairly widely, with 50-100mm across west-facing hills. There is a chance a few locations could see in excess of 100mm.”

Almost every part of the UK is covered by at least one of multiple Met Office weather warnings over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Another fireworks event in Ripon, North Yorkshire, also succumbed to the weather, with the council posting on Facebook that the event planned to take place in the city’s Market Square could not go ahead due to high winds.

While a homemade boat race in Poole in Dorset, a sea dip in Lyme Regis in the same south coast county, as well as fireworks displays on the Isle of Wight and on Newcastle’s Quayside, were all cancelled on Tuesday morning.

Although London’s City Hall had said it was “monitoring the weather”, mayor Sadiq Khan this evening reassured visitors the fireworks would go ahead.

London mayor Sir Sadiq told the PA news agency: “I’m really excited about the London New Year’s Eve fireworks, the biggest fireworks taking place anywhere across Europe.

“Hundreds of thousands of fireworks, great light display but also a great soundtrack tonight as well.”

Rain, wind and snow warnings

Three separate weather warnings currently cover Scotland alone for Tuesday evening, including a yellow warning for “persistent snow” over Shetland and Orkney, a yellow warning for rain and snow in the north, which could bring possible blizzard conditions, especially over high ground in Sutherland and Caithness.

A yellow warning for wind spans from Glasgow to Edinburgh, and the Met Office has warned of possible delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport.

Train operator ScotRail warned its services were being disrupted by speed restrictions due to “very heavy rainfall”.

At least 11 lines have been affected, according to the ScotRail website, and 18 trains were cancelled on Tuesday morning.

Network Rail said it closed the Highland Main Line at Kingussie because of “more extreme rainfall overnight”.

Forecasters say the high winds and rain may also cause flooding, particularly in the Midlands and Pennines, with the Environment Agency urging people to stay away from swollen rivers and avoid driving through floodwater.

In the Highlands, flooding has forced the closure of the A9 at Tomich.

‘Tricky couple of days’

As the clock strikes midnight in the UK, separate warnings for wind and rain are in place for Wednesday.

Strong winds are forecast across much of England and Wales until 3pm on 1 January, with gusts of 75mph likely around coastal areas and hills, according to the Met Office.

The period from Thursday to Saturday is expected to be a “widely cold but sunny few days, with wintry showers mainly confined to coastal areas.

“Northern areas may see patchy rain, sleet and snow move in on Saturday.”.

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Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said: “It will be a tricky couple of days and a wet and windy spell for many up into the new year.

“We’re encouraging anyone who is planning to travel to keep up to date with the weather forecast and news from their local authorities.”

Veteran radio DJ Johnnie Walker, who hosted BBC Radio 2’s Sounds Of The 70s and The Rock Show, has died aged 79.

Known for championing artists like Lou Reed, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles, Walker in October announced he would retire from radio after 58 years.

He had previously been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a lung condition.

Weeks later, he presented his final Sounds Of The 70s show on BBC Radio 2 and hosted his last episode of The Rock Show as he hung up his headphones due to ill health.

Tiggy Walker, Walker’s wife, said: “I couldn’t be more proud of Johnnie – how he kept broadcasting almost to the end and with what dignity and grace he coped with his debilitating lung disease.

“He remained his charming, humorous self to the end, what a strong, amazing man.”

She added: “And if I may say – what a day to go. He’ll be celebrating New Year’s Eve with a stash of great musicians in heaven.”

Walker’s death was announced on air by his friend and colleague, BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, who took over as presenter of Sounds Of The 70s in November.

Harris said: “I first started listening to him on pirate radio and we know what an incredible, wonderful, superb broadcaster he was.

“We also know how passionate he was about his music, went out on a limb many times to defend the music that he loved.”

The BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, said the organisation was “deeply saddened” by the passing of a “pop radio pioneer and a champion of great music”.

“No one loved the audience as much as Johnnie, and we loved him back.”

From fixing cars to hosting Drivetime

Born in Birmingham, he left school aged 15 to train to as a mechanic, later becoming a car salesman.

But his passion for music was already bubbling away, and he picked up a Friday night slot as a disco DJ under the name Peter Dee.

He began his radio career in 1966 on an offshore pirate station, Swinging Radio England.

But it was with Radio Caroline that he became a household name, before joining BBC Radio 1 in 1969.

After a stint in San Francisco, where he recorded a weekly show for Radio Luxembourg, he returned to the UK in the 1980s, working on various BBC stations until landing his own weekly show on Radio 2, and then taking over Drivetime.

He gained a reputation as a DJ who placed more importance on the tracks he played than the chat between them.

Helen Thomas, head of BBC Radio 2, said Walker “loved radio and inspired a generation of presenters, passionately promoting the artists and music he cared about so deeply”.

She called him a “much-loved broadcasting legend” with a “wry sense of humour” and “warm, open style”.

Shaun Keaveny, who took over presenting Radio 2’s The Rock Show from Walker, described him as “a rebel, a soul searcher, and a seeker, a rocker, and a phenomenal broadcaster”.

Walker ‘died’ three times

In October 2003, Walker underwent chemotherapy and an emergency operation for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

He revealed his diagnosis live on air, and later revealed he “died” three times during surgery to repair his burst intestine.

IPF is a condition that scars lungs and makes it increasingly harder to breathe.

The NHS website says it is not clear what causes the condition, and although treatments can slow its impact, there is “currently no treatment that can stop or reverse the scarring of the lungs”.

West Ham forward Michail Antonio has said he has realised he “took life for granted” but is now thankful just for “being alive”, as he was discharged from hospital after a car crash in early December.

In a heartfelt message on Tuesday evening, he thanked the NHS, the air ambulance, and “everyone from top to bottom at West Ham United FC”.

“Every year around this time, I’m asked what I’m grateful for, and every year I’ve struggled to find the right words,” Antonio said in a post on Instagram, alongside a photo of him on crutches.

“But this year, I know exactly what I’m grateful for: being alive.”

The 34-year-old Jamaica international needed surgery on a lower limb fracture after a one-car incident outside London on 7 December, and his rehabilitation is expected to take quite some time.

But he promised to be “back on that pitch soon” as he wished everyone a happy new year.

The striker said he realised he had spent “so many years taking life for granted”.

“I made plans for the next day, the next year, always assuming tomorrow was guaranteed.

“I’ve seen close friends pass away… and even then, I didn’t fully grasp just how precious life is.

“What I’ve been through recently has opened my eyes. Life is fragile, and every single moment matters. I’m so grateful to God for giving me the strength to keep going and for allowing me to still be here.”

West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui previously described the outcome of the serious accident as a “miracle.”

In the first match after the crash, West Ham players wore “Antonio 9” shirts before kick-off.

The kit was then signed by the players, including Antonio, and auctioned off, generating almost £60,000 for the NHS and Air Ambulances UK Charity.

“Everyone at the club would like to reiterate their heartfelt thanks to the first responders, emergency services, air ambulance staff and the NHS for the incredible support given to Michail in the wake of the accident,” West Ham said in a statement earlier today.