Half term turns into a washout with more floods and storms on the way

Much of the UK is forecast to have heavy showers today though Wales and the West will be worst hit with up to 2in of rain in places.

Flash floods are expected after the weekend's deluges and in Warwickshire it is feared the River Stour could burst its banks.

Bank Holiday washout: The beach at Southwold was a grim scene

By last night, another 19 less serious flood watch alerts were in force across East Anglia, the Midlands, the South and South West. More showers will hit central England-and Scotland tomorrow, while the unsettled weather will continue to the weekend.

The weather has wrecked half-term holiday plans for many hard-pressed families who were hoping for a cheaper break in Britain instead of going for guaranteed sun abroad.

A Met Office spokesman said: 'Thursday will be the best day of weather this week with sunny spells but there is another band of rain coming on Friday.

'Unfortunately, Saturday is not looking too good either - it will be showery. Sunday also looks unsettled.

'Areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely to give accumulations in excess of 25 mm, and potentially in excess of 50 mm locally.

No customers: An ice cream vendor on Plymouth Hoe, Devon

'This sort of unsettled weather is not unusual for May - but coming after the hot and dry start to the month, the contrast is particularly noticeable.

'I don't think we are going to break any temperature or sunshine records at this rate.'

Online travel agents said the warm start to May triggered demand for domestic holidays.

Many families have chosen to spend the half term in the UK, rather than going abroad, because of rising household bills and concerns about the economy.

The weather over the Bank Holiday divided Britain, with a wash-out in the south, while north England and Scotland had sunny weather.

The foul weather caused roads ground to a halt and train lines were submerged under water.

In parts of the south of England, more than a month's worth of rain fell in less than two days.

People struggle through high winds and rain as they cross the Millennium Bridge, London

Today, the Environment Agency issued a flood warning for the river Stour between Shipston-on-Stour and Clifford Chambers in Warwickshire.

By the evening, another 19 less serious flood watch alerts were in force across East Anglia, the Midlands, the south and south east of England.

The Hampshire village of Otterbourne got 57mm (2.2inches) in 24 hours while nearby Petersfield, had 52mm (2 inches) of rain in the same period.

The situation was in contrast to Scotland, which has had one of its driest Mays in years, with firefighters yesterday battling more big grassland fires.

Twenty firefighters took hours to put out the blaze near Mossdale, near Castle Douglas.

It was just a few miles away from Monday's fire which raged across 14 hectares (35 acres) of land near New Galloway.