But downpours expected in the south and the Midlands failed to materialise and the Environment Agency lifted flood warnings on some rivers as conditions improved.

Police reported water-logged roads in Cumbria with waterways overflowing.

The A69 linking Carlisle and Newcastle was closed at the Cumbria and Northumberland border. Traffic was diverted 12 miles along country roads in the Pennines.

More rain overnight

Motorway traffic in Cheshire was being slowed down by surface water thrown up by vehicle tyres.

Belts of heavy rain were due to continue overnight on Tuesday as parts of Scotland continued to assess damage caused by earlier storms.

A man who died after being blown into the River Almond at Cramond, near Edinburgh, as he was walking his dogs, was named as 75-year-old William Taylor of Corstorphine Hill Crescent, Edinburgh.

Largs suffered "horrendous" floods

In Largs, Ayrshire, the area worst hit by Monday's heavy rains, people were assessing the damage caused by one of the worst floods in 30 years.

Inspector William Ross of Strathclyde Police described the flooding in Largs town centre as "absolutely horrendous".

He said: "The flooding in places was up to 3ft deep. It was certainly as bad as I can remember."

Rail services were still disrupted as engineers struggled to repair storm damage.

Services were cancelled between Ayr and Kilwinning due to problems with overhead power lines, and Dumbarton Central Station was closed after strong winds damaged the roof.

Electricity has been restored to about 30,000 people who were cut off on Monday after falling trees destroyed supply lines.