Flood situation 'critical'

The flooding means continued transport chaos

Many parts of Britain have been warned to expect no let up in the flood misery until next week.

With England and Wales heading for their wettest autumn since records began 273 years ago, the Environment Agency says the situation is "critical".

Further rainfall is expected on Thursday and Friday, exacerbating flooding in various parts of England and Wales.

The warning came as homeowners and businesses across the country faced dealing with 5,000 flooded buildings, despite a drop in some river levels.

The scene at Maidenhead on the Thames where 100 homes are under threat

The number of flood warnings has fallen by 20 to 29, affecting 12 rivers.

The River Ouse in Yorkshire is on highest alert and expected to flood again on Wednesday night.

The Severn between Shrewsbury and Gloucester is also at risk high while 100 homes are under threat along the Thames at Maidenhead.

Environment Agency officials said the situation was still "critical" because the rain expected in coming days could trigger more rivers to burst their banks.

It says many flood-hit areas in Britain will have to wait until next week before enjoying a respite.

Environment Agency chairman Sir John Harman said Britain was "still in the thick of a crisis", despite the fact the river levels in some of the worst-hit areas fell overnight.

"This flood has already been the sternest test of the Environment Agency's flood warning and defence systems, and is becoming more so as every hour goes by," he said.

Chinook helicopters were brought in to transport sandbags

"Our current priority must be to keep warning and protecting people as best we can, in co-operation with the emergency services."

Transport was still badly hit: the rail route between London and Sheffield was partially blocked, as was the line between the capital and Brighton.

On the east coast, train services were blocked in two places.

Railtrack said other lines remained closed all over the country, from the Great Western area to the North East region.

Among the latest places to be hit is West Sussex where a number of villages north of Chichester have been swamped after the River Lavant burst its banks.

Yalding in Kent was flooded for the third time this autumn as was Uckfield in East Sussex.

Hospital evacuated

Guildford and Weybridge were put at risk after the River Wey burst its banks.

More sandbags are delivered

In Selby, North Yorkshire, the army worked flat-out to shore up defences and used giant Chinook helicopters in an operation to distribute 10,000 tonnes of sandbags to hundreds of homes threatened by the Ouse.

But police warned that lives and homes were being put in danger by people who had been stealing sandbags from river defences.

They have arrested three men for allegedly damaging or interfering with sandbags.

In the Midlands, Stafford town centre was flooded but there was relief for nearby Burton-upon-Trent, where flood warnings remained but police said the river had dropped by 3ins and was expected to keep falling.

Most of the 40 people who had been moved to temporary accommodation were allowed to return home.

David Rhodes leaves his flooded taxi firm in York

In the north east the flood situation has also generally eased, with only the River Wear at Chester-le-Street remaining on a severe warning.

But more rain forecast for Friday and the weekend could repeat the misery for hundreds of homes already affected.

The Environment Agency said the River Severn was continuing to rise and a high tide in Gloucester on Friday would probably cause flooding problems over the weekend.

Twelve people have now died in weather-related incidents over the last 10 days.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has vowed to make 3,000 vacant Ministry of Defence homes available for the victims of floods who are unable to return to their homes.

Floodline: 0845 988 1188