UK weather warning: Flooding to hit South West and Wales as wind and rain lash Britain

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The Environment Agency has issued flood alerts for rivers and coastal areas of Cornwall, Devon, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Swansea as Britain continues to be battered by severe weather.

Holidaymakers who have escaped to the South West for half-term were issued alerts yesterday and rain swept in causing flooding and even washing sewage into the Cornish village of Par as drains became overwhelmed.

But the worst of the wet weather is coming to an end, according to forecasters, with many areas brightening today and experiencing showers rather than torrential downpours.

South West warnings: Council workers have closed the sea front in Torquay

Bill Payne, a spokesman for forecaster MeteoGroup said: 'The heavy rain we had in the South and the South-West yesterday has pushed north-eastwards across England and Wales into southern Scotland overnight.

'Any lingering rain across England and Wales will clear this morning, but across northern and eastern Scotland it will linger for much of the day. There will be some heavy and prolonged rain.

'Following that rain there will be sunny spells and showers, some of which will be quite heavy, and possibly some lightning strikes.'

He said the wettest places in the UK yesterday were Cardinham, near Bodmin, in Cornwall, where 58mm of rain fell between 7am and 7pm. Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire received 50mm of rain in the same period.

There were also winds of up to 60mph across Shetland and Orkney, where further strong gales are expected today.

< p>Severe weather: Rain and high winds have lashed the UK since yesterday

Craig Woolhouse, Head of Flood Incident Management at the Environment Agency said: 'People in Cornwall, Devon and Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Swansea should prepare for the possibility of flooding, by checking the latest situation on the Environment Agencys website and by listening to local media.

'We urge people to sign up to river and coastal flood warnings by visiting www.environment-agency.gov.uk and follow local and social media for updates.

'The Environment Agency has been working around the clock to prepare for the forecast rainfall, by liaising with emergency services, clearing drains and checking flood defences.'

A message on the Environment Agency's website warned half-term holidaymakers to remain vigilant over the next eight hours.

Rain and high winds across the whole United Kingdom yesterday resulted in flood warnings for parts of the North Sea coast in Yorkshire and at Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire last night. Localised flooding was also reported across Cornwall and parts of west Devon.

In the Republic of Ireland, a search was continuing today for policeman Ciaran Jones, 25, who was swept away by floods in the Wicklow mountains, where 90mm of rain has fallen in the last 36 hours.

A 13-year-old girl who went missing in poor weather while walking her dog on the coast at St Agnes in Cornwall last night was later found suffering from a head injury by an 80-strong team of rescuers.