Flood warnings and rain persist in UK

Over ten flood warnings remain in place across England, with more heavy rain falling in some areas on Sunday.

<link> <caption>Warnings</caption> <url href="http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx" platform="highweb"/> </link> are in place in the Midlands, south-east and south-west but those for the Edinburgh and Lothians areas of Scotland have now been lifted.

F1 fans heading to the British Grand Prix set out early after waterlogging in car parks saw thousands turned away from Saturday's qualifying session.

The environment secretary has visited people affected by flooding in Devon.

Caroline Spelman spoke to residents affected by the floods in Ottery St Mary in Devon. Otterton Mill, a 1,000-year-old attraction in the town, was flooded for the second time in four years on Saturday.

She also went to the Met Office in Exeter for a briefing.

The Environment Agency had a severe flood warning - its highest level of alert - for low-lying properties and roads around Stoney Bridge and Castle Hill in Axminster, Devon, in place overnight, but this is no longer in force.

The Met Office said further periods of heavy and sometimes thundery rain were expected during the evening in north-east, central, and south-east England and East Anglia.

Overnight, there will be more rain for the north of England and southern Scotland, but showers in Wales and parts of south-west England will clear by the morning.

There are currently more than 10 flood warnings and 80 alerts in England. There are also two alerts <link> <caption>in Scotland</caption> <url href="http://floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates/" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

A standard flood warning means immediate action is required, and a flood alert means people should be prepared for possible flooding.

Rainfall totals on Saturday included 59mm (2.3in) on the Isle of Portland, 48mm (1.9in) at Exeter Airport, 43mm (1.7in) in Edinburgh and 37mm (1.5in) in Plymouth.

Spectators made their way through mud as they arrived for the British Grand Prix

Officials at Silverstone, which is on the Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire border, had to turn away thousands of fans wanting to see Saturday's qualifying sessions after the amount of rain left its car parks unusable.

All fans with tickets for Sunday's race were told to allow plenty of time to arrive at the circuit. Up to 125,000 fans attended the race.

<link> <caption>Tourism chiefs in Wales</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18755039" platform="highweb"/> </link> have told the BBC the poor summer weather could be the final straw for some businesses.

Overnight, a council-owned car park in Weymouth, Dorset, set to be used as a drop-off point for spectators to the Olympic sailing events <link> <caption>was flooded after a lake burst its banks</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-18759211" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

Meanwhile, <link> <caption>a dog was swept away</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-18759109" platform="highweb"/> </link> by a swollen beck in Bilton, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, on Saturday night when his owner fell into the water.

The man suffered slight shock but there have been no further sightings of the missing dog, fire officers said.

In Northumberland on Saturday, a man in his 20s died when his car came off a road during torrential rain.

In separate incidents in Dorset, two people stranded on top of their car near the River Bride and a man stuck in his wheelchair in water at Burton Bradstock were rescued by coastguard teams.