More flooding this weekend - but August will be a sizzler

Weather experts say that the second half of the month will see sunshine and drier-than-normal conditions.

After three months of torrential rain, tornadoes and hailstones - the wettest spell since records began in 1766 - Met Office forecaster John Hammond said: "There is light at the end of the tunnel.

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"As August matures there is a greater chance that we will see more in the way of dry weather.

"The indications are that, if anything, the second half of the month will be even drier than normal and we could see temperatures above average."

It is thought the South East will be the first to enjoy the summer sun, which will then spread north and west. Before then, however, the rain isn't finished with us. Up to an inch is expected to swamp areas including the South Midlands overnight tonight - making more floods possible.

Motorists have been warned to prepare this weekend for "the most severe driving conditions seen in the UK for five years."

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The traffic information experts Keepmoving.co.uk said: 'More heavy rain, combined with the summer holiday rush, will create a level of chaos on the roads usually reserved for extreme winter conditions and not witnessed here since the big freeze in January 2002."

The Highways Agency said: "There is a risk of several hours of persistent rain, which could cause disruption to the road network. Travel situations may change at very short notice. Drivers should consider whether their journey is really necessary."

In Worcestershire yesterday, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall saw first hand the devastation the freak weather had brought to the town of Upton upon Severn, which was completely surrounded by water at the height of the flooding.

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In Tewkesbury, one of the worst hit parts of Gloucestershire, Charles paid tribute to the British spirit. He said: "I've seen some obviously disastrous horrors that have affected so many people. What I have found so wonderful is the spirit the people have displayed."

However, with more than 300,000 still without water after the Mythe water treatment plant, near Tewkesbury, was flooded, not everyone is subscribing to the "Blitz spirit".

Anger is rising over "outsiders" taking water from emergency bowsers and yobs wasting or contaminating vital supplies.

Margaret Callahan, a 60-year-old great-grandmother, said she had to drink boiled water from the goldfish pond in her back garden after emergency water bowsers in her street were left empty for more than 40 hours.

She said: "All the bowsers in our area have been emptied by people from other areas. They're taking too much and being greedy."

Gloucestershire Police warned anyone caught fighting over water supplies or damaging bowsers could expect to be sent to prison, while pest control firms warned of rats moving above ground after being flushed out of their underground homes by the flood waters.

Meanwhile, TV's Richard and Judy have come under fire after letting inventor Trevor Baylis show off his own do-it-yourself flood protection system. His device, which sticks to a door frame, relies on wood or metal, mastic or sealant and screws. It was featured on the show this week.

But the Flood Protection Association, which represents manufacturers, claims it is a "Heath Robinson arrangement" which could be "inappropriate and risky".