Hurricane Helene slams into Mexico and heads towards Florida –video

Tropical Storm Helene strengthened into a hurricane on Wednesday morning. The storm was labelled a category 1 hurricane and the US National Hurricane Center said it was packing maximum sustained winds of 80mph as it churned in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to hit Florida's Gulf coast later on Thursday as a forceful hurricane and is forecast to be the most powerful storm to hit the US in more than a year

• Hurricane Helene forecast to be most powerful storm to hit US in a year