Respite in sight as heavy rain ends

Rain-lashed Britain looks set to get a reprieve as torrential downpours that caused flood misery across the country come to an end.

The wettest April to June on record, followed by more heavy rain so far this month, caused widespread - and in some cases, repeated - flooding.

Typically, the next few days will still be wet with showers across the country, forecasters said, and heavy, thundery rainstorms in the middle of the week.

But the relentless rain that resulted in record-breaking weather conditions has vanished for now.

The improving conditions have meant the Environment Agency now has a vastly reduced number of flood warnings and alerts.

They remain in place as drainage systems and river catchments struggle to come to terms with the record-breaking deluges that have left vast parts of the country saturated.