UK weather: Boxing Day sport off amid flood warnings

Accrington Stanley were due to host Carlisle - the visitors' own stadium was left under water earlier this month by Storm Desmond

Several Boxing Day sporting fixtures have been postponed across the UK after heavy rain fell on Saturday.

The Championship football match between Blackburn and Middlesbrough and League One games Blackpool v Oldham and Wigan v Sheffield United were called off.

More than 200 flood warnings and alerts have been issued, with seven severe warnings in place for Lancashire.

Sunday's Welsh Grand National meeting at Chepstow is also off, as is the two-day fixture at Wetherby.

Other football matches which fell foul of the weather were Bury v Barnsley, Accrington Stanley v Carlisle, Morecambe v Mansfield, Hartlepool v Notts County and Rochdale v Crewe.

Carlisle - who were due to face Accrington at 15:00 GMT - played their last home game at Preston North End's Deepdale stadium after Storm Desmond left their Brunton Park ground under water.

Stanley manager John Coleman criticised the decision - before later apologising - saying it was not "fair". Accrington's last two home matches have also been called off.

Dundee United's Premiership match against Motherwell is one of several Scottish fixtures postponed on Saturday because of waterlogged pitches.

Accrington Stanley's goalmouth before their postponed Boxing Day game with Carlisle - their third home fixture in a row to be postponed

Full list of Football League cancellations

Championship:

Blackburn v Middlesbrough

League One:

Blackpool v Oldham

Bradford v Burton

Bury v Barnsley

Rochdale v Crewe

Wigan v Sheffield United

League Two:

Accrington v Carlisle

Morecambe v Mansfield

Hartlepool v Notts County

York v Northampton

National League:

Altrincham v Chester

Barrow v Gateshead

Guiseley v Grimsby

Several Scottish games have also been postponed - read the full list here.

Rochdale tweeted: "We're now in complete darkness at Spotland. The local area has a power cut!" 19,000 homes were left without power

Heating lamps could not save Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough

Flooding around the stadium, plus a waterlogged pitch, contributed to Bury's game being called off

Notts County tweeted: "No days off here. The lads are now training this morning!"