A month of rain in one day

Flooding has caused chaos across huge areas of England, with hundreds of people being moved from their homes, and transport severely disrupted. Many areas are facing more heavy rain and flooding, with more than 40 flood warnings in force.

A search has been launched for a soldier who was swept away while on an exercise in North Yorkshire.

In Northern Ireland, those affected by flooding earlier this week will be given £1,000 each in damages.

There are currently more than 40 flood warnings in force for areas of Norfolk, Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, the Environment Agency has said.

Police said they had received more than 200 calls from Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley caused by heavy rain.

Dozens of roads were closed because of flooding up to 3ft (91cm) deep. In one incident, a man was stuck in his car when water came up to its bonnet under a bridge in Fife Street, in Sheffield's Wincobank area.

The Met Office said the heavy rain affecting Wales, the Midlands and northern England was moving northwards into southern Scotland and the Borders region. Scotland could expect showers to continue over the weekend, it said - although not as severe as the battering experienced by much of England.


A little bit of my drive home