UK flood warnings: almost 70 warnings in place after heavy rain replaces snow and ice in Devon, Somerset and the Midlands

The Environment Agency has introduced almost 70 flood warnings across England after heavy rain affected various regions.

Sixty-nine flood warnings have been in place since 6am on Tuesday morning (December 5). They are dotted around the country, however the warnings are mainly concentrated in Dorset, Somerset and the Midlands. A further 182 flood alerts, which are less severe than warnings, are also in place across the country.

It comes as trains have already been affected by the wet weather conditions. CrossCountry Trains said that services between Edinburgh Waverley and Newcastle were being blocked by heavy flooding, with industrial action also disrupting services.

Likewise, there were significant delays and cancellations on Great Western Railway services. Commuters were told not to travel between Bristol and Exeter, with warning over lines between London Paddington and Devon or Cornwall. The railway said: “We are expecting disruption between London Paddington and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall into Tuesday morning as floods subside.”

The Met Office had yellow rain warnings in place for areas of the north-east and south-west of England. While the warnings expired on Tuesday morning, flooding can still be expected.

It's not good news later in the week either, with the rain set to return to mostly western areas of the UK. A newly-issued yellow weather warning for Thursday December 7 has been introduced by the Met Office for the south-western coast of England, south Wales, much of Northern Ireland, Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland and the eastern coast of Scotland stretching from Dundee and Perth up to Aberdeen.