Flood Alerts Remain Amid Further Rain Warning

Parts of Britain are being warned they are still at risk of more flooding as further rain is forecast after homes, roads and rail networks are hit by the most intense September storm for decades.

Clean-up operations are under way and the number of flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency (EA) has been falling - but there are still 54 in place, including 37 in the North East and 12 in the North West.

Around 60 homes have been evacuated in Newburn in Newcastle where there is growing concern about a modern block of flats which is said to be in danger of collapsing after its foundations were washed away.

Speaking from the village high street, Sky's Gerard Tubb said some flat-owners allowed back into their properties have been told by Newcastle City Council in a letter to "pack an emergency bag including any essential equipment" in case they need to get out at any moment.

He added: "There is a lot of devastation... there are going to be a lot of people here who are going to take a long time to get their lives back into order."

Meanwhile, business owners in the flood-hit high street say thieves have broken in and stolen up to £30,000 worth of stock from evacuated shops.

KB Cycles and AJ Bridlewear both say they have been the victims of burglars since the floods struck.

In Yorkshire, residents living close to the River Ouse in the York and Selby areas are bracing themselves for more misery as water levels continue to rise.

The EA said those stretches of river are particularly vulnerable as the huge amount of rain which had fallen over the Yorkshire Dales in the last two days works its way through the system.

A York City Council spokeswoman said the Ouse is 14.4ft (4.4m) above the average summer level. But she said it reached 17.7ft (5.4m) above the average in the floods of 2000.

The river's water level is expected to peak around 8am on Thursday.

Other rivers including the River Severn in the South West, the Dane which flows through Crewe, Nantwich and Northwich, as well as the Weaver, Wharfe, Aire and Ure, are also being closely monitored.

On Tuesday, some areas saw more than a month's rainfall as downpours and strong winds battered north Wales, northern England and Scotland.

However southern England, the Midlands and parts of Wales are set for more heavy downpours and blustery winds, and some further flooding is also possible.

More than 400 homes and businesses across Britain have flooded since Sunday, including in Morpeth, Durham, Chester-le-Street and Stockton on Tees, the EA said.

Hundreds of people were forced to spend the night in temporary accommodation following the most intense September storm since 1981.

The flooding came after low pressure moved north across the country from the Bay of Biscay, north of Spain, to the north east coast of the UK on Sunday.

The slow-moving area of low pressure is drifting southwards today across Wales to southwest England. Some 2cm to 4cm of rain is likely in places.

Sky News weather producer Christopher England said: "Inland parts of Scotland and Ireland will be mainly dry going into the evening, while a scattering of showers will remain over England and Wales.

"Those showers will linger overnight and will become more widespread over coastal counties and other parts of southern Britain."

He added: "Thursday will start fine for most, but showers will develop widely again across England and Wales, but they will be lighter and more scattered, with parts western Scotland and Ireland experiencing more heavier downpours.

"Friday will be another showery day, but Saturday looks like being dry for most."

The weather has also been playing havoc with the road and rail networks, too.

The A1 remains closed northbound near Catterick and the A66 in both directions near Darlington due to flooding, while train services are still subject to severe disruptions and delays throughout northern England and Wales as a result of flooding and landslips.

Flooding minister Richard Benyon has offered his support to local MPs in helping affected areas recover.

Councils have called on the Government to set up an emergency fund to help pay for millions of pounds of repairs.