Heavy rain sparks flood alerts

The Environment Agency issued warnings for four rivers in Wales, three in south-west England, two in the Thames region and one in the north-east.

A band of heavy rain passed over the country on Tuesday, intensifying as it moved north and east, and some areas were deluged with half a month's worth of rain in a day.

Belfast recorded the heaviest downpour, with 36mm falling in 24 hours, and a total of eight people were rescued from floodwaters in Northern Ireland.

Three teenage girls camping on a mountainside and five motorists trapped in their cars by flood water were rescued after downpours hit the region.

In Scotland, a clear-up operation was underway after homes in Fife were flooded. The towns of Cupar and Freuchie were worst affected, with reports of some houses being inundated with three or four feet of water.

Emergency services worked through the night to clear water from homes and roads, and Fife Council handed out sandbags to residents.

Forecasters reported 31mm of rain falling at RAF Leuchars through the night, compared with 13mm in Edinburgh and the Borders. Eastern England also came in for a soaking, with 29mm falling at Wattisham in Suffolk, 25mm at Waddington in Lincolnshire and 18mm in Weybourne, on the Norfolk coast.

The Environment Agency issued "flood watch" alerts for the Ely, Rhymney, Llynfi and Ogmore and Taf and Cynin rivers in Wales; the catchment areas for the Cole and Ray rivers in the Thames region; the Exmoor, Dartmoor and Tamar rivers in the south-west and the River Nidd in North Yorkshire.

People living in these areas are advised to monitor local weather forecasts, keep an eye on water levels nearby and be prepared to act in case of flooding.