Firefighters rescue passengers from flood-struck cars overnight

Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley where the river has already burst its banks in recent days

Firefighters across Wales have spent the night responding to a deluge of flooding calls, prompted by days of torrential rain.

A number of people have been rescued from trapped vehicles in Ceredigion and Bridgend.

Some roads were also forced to close, with motorists being warned to take extra care due to surface flooding.

Natural Resources Wales has issued two flood warnings.

Arriva Trains Wales warned of disruption because of severe weather, with routes most at risk including Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog and Shrewsbury to Machynlleth on the Cambrian Line.

Mid and West Wales Fire Service said its crews were sent to save four elderly people stuck in a car on the Gwbert Road in Cardigan, Ceredigion on at about 20:15 GMT on Thursday, after earlier attending to a stranded vehicle at Cenarth Bridge, Newcastle Emlyn.

The A4059 in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff, was closed for a time

A4059 New Road in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff

Fire crews from New Quay, Aberaeron, Aberystwyth, Lampeter and Tregaron were all called out to respond to incidents.

In Bridgend, firefighters using lifesaving vests had to pull a woman from flood water at Pontsarn.

South Wales teams also responded to flooding calls in the Cynon Valley at Abercwmboi and Trecynon, and they were also called to the University of South Wales at Treforest near Pontypridd, after a culvert burst.

Fire crews in north Wales said they had also had numerous flood related calls, especially in Gwynedd, which were being dealt with by council staff.

'Be aware'

Flooding has closed the A490 in Welshpool, Powys, in both directions.

On the M48 Severn Bridge, a lane has reopened after being closed in both directions due to strong winds.

The A4059 in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff has also reopened after it was shut due to flooding.

The flooding followed a series of yellow "be aware" weather warnings for rain from the Met Office.

Forecasters said Friday morning should be drier, but become windy with a warning in force for most of north Wales from 17:00, with gusts hitting 70mph in some places.

The Met Office has also issued a warning from more rain on Saturday and Sunday in the north, valid from just after midnight on Saturday until midday on Sunday.

The chief forecaster said up to 4in (100mm) of rain could fall in the period over Snowdonia, where the ground is already saturated.