Summary

  • The UK Health Security Agency issues a cold weather alert for the coming days and warns that temperatures are set to plummet

  • The yellow cold weather alert for all of England comes into force at 9am on Saturday and expires at noon on 12 January

  • Hundreds more homes have been flooded in England following a powerful storm and a week of heavy rainfall

  • Rishi Sunak says people should be reassured by the response to flooding in badly hit areas

  • The Environment Agency says more than 1,000 homes have been flooded in England this week

  • A major incident has been declared in Nottinghamshire where the rising waters of the River Trent flooded more than 100 properties

  • Train companies have also been badly affected by the deluge, with Great Western Railway warning of disruption all day

Live Reporting

Edited by Andrew Humphrey and James Harness

  1. Around 1,000 properties flooded in England - Environment Agency

    CAROLINE DOUGLASS Environment Agency’s Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management

    Around 1,000 properties in England have been flooded as a result of the recent rainfall, according to the Environment Agency (EA).

    Caroline Douglass, who oversees flood and coastal risk management for the EA, tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the country is still dealing with the aftermath of Storm Henk, as well as heavy rains.

    "We have woken up to a very wet situation across the country. On the River Trent in Nottingham, the peak is still passing through that area so we are keeping a watch on that.

    The River Severn is still high and the River Avon is on the EA's watchlist, she adds.

    "There is a lot of surface area water both on the roads and affecting railways, so we need people to be really careful and watch out for that.

    "The ground is incredibly saturated. It is going to take quite a while to dry out."

  2. Hundreds of flood warnings in place after heavy rainfall

    Thomas Mackintosh
    Live reporter

    Water levels run high along the River Severn in Bridgnorth

    Water levels run high along the River Severn in Bridgnorth

    Good morning and welcome along to our weather coverage as hundreds of flood warnings remain in place across England and Wales.

    Nottinghamshire County Council has declared a major incident and warned water levels on the River Trent could reach record levels.

    In London, a party boat which acts as a floating bar, restaurant and nightclub sank in the River Thames overnight.

    Elsewhere in the capital, around 50 people were led to safety after a canal burst its banks in Hackney Wick.

    Trains have also been badly affected - with Great Western Railway warning of disruption all day - including on routes between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, Reading and Castle Cary, and Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall.

    Stay with us and we'll bring you the latest updates from around the UK.