Weather: Northern England Braced For Flooding

North East England and North Wales are braced for flooding after the band of heavy rain that swamped southern England moved north.

There are just over 200 flood warnings in place across the country and nearly 300 less serious flood alerts, following a weekend of almost non-stop pouring rain left at least 800 homes swamped with water.

Parts of South West England were particularly badly hit, now people in the North East and North Wales are preparing for possible flooding.

A soldier carries a sandbag in Catterick, North Yorkshire

In North Yorkshire, residents of Richmondshire are being offered emergency sandbags to protect their homes from floodwater.

On the outskirts of Darlington, County Durham, the River Skerne was reported to have burst its banks, while pumps are being used to keep parts of the A66 open in the area.

Days of rain and strong winds have left three people dead, forced hundreds from their homes and brought chaos to the roads.

Residents load sandbags onto a trolley elsewhere in the town

Prime Minister David Cameron vowed he would "ensure everything is being done to help".

Parts of Devon and Cornwall are among the worst hit areas so far - but hundreds of other areas have also been affected, with the South and the Midlands getting badly hit.

Thousands of motorists have had to be rescued from water-logged roads over the past few days.

A man rows through a car park in Keynsham, Somerset

Rainfall is estimated to be around 15mm across the spine of Britain today, less than the 30mm of rain in parts of the West Country, but meteorologists said it would offer little respite to homeowners keen to begin cleaning up.

Mr Cameron wrote on Twitter: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

A 21-year-old woman was killed in Western Way, Exeter, after becoming trapped under a fallen tree which injured two others.

A homeless woman died after being crushed by a tree in Exeter

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the dead woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large oak tree that had been there for ... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down."

Her death follows that of a man on Thursday, who died when his car became wedged under a bridge near a ford in Rectory Fields, Chew Stoke, Somerset.

A car is partially submerged in standing water in Ruishton, Somerset

A 50-year-old man, named as Kevin Wilkinson, also died after falling into a canal in Watford on Saturday.

Both the RAC and AA breakdown services reported surges in flood-related call-outs as roads and highways across the country have been closed due to perilous standing water.

But that has not deterred many motorists from taking their chances.

Homes are left flooded on Cheats Road in Ruishton

In Warwickshire three people became stranded on the roof of a four-wheel drive after deciding to go off-road driving.

Police issued a post on Twitter to say the men had been shouting abuse at those who tried to come to their aid. They were eventually rescued by boat.

National Rail said the severe weather is disrupting services around the country.

Hay bales stand in flood water in fields surrounding the Glastonbury Tor

Nearly 71,000 properties have been told they could be at risk, according to the Environment Agency.

Jo Wheeler, Sky News weather presenter, said: "The heaviest rain has now moved north, and there'll be a period of some hours before further wet weather is likely.

"Meanwhile, the storm system has taken the wettest weather into central, eastern and northern parts of England.

Flood water blocking the A361 near Taunton, Somerset

"And the strongest winds are to the south and east of the system, with gale force gusts for eastern England, East Anglia and the South East.  These blustery conditions will also abate as the low pressure system clears away into the North Sea."

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