DEFRA in flood crisis meeting

DEFRA secretary Owen Paterson is to chair an emergency meeting to discuss floods that continue to cause havoc across parts of Britain.

Mr Paterson said he was working to ensure the Environment Agency and local councils were “offering all possible support” to flood-hit communities.

The meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee is due to take place on Thursday (2 January).

It comes as the Met Office issued a series of severe weather warnings for much of Scotland, south-east England, north-west England, the West Country and Wales.

Another spell of unsettled weather is expected on Friday (3 January) with further wet and windy conditions likely across western areas in particular.

The yellow “be aware” warnings mean people should keep an eye on the latest forecast and be aware that the weather may change or worsen.

Tides would be very high, and the public should be aware of the risks of large waves and coastal flooding, the Met Office said.

A developing Atlantic low pressure system is expected to push further bands of locally heavy rain across the UK and winds will gust to around 50-60mph over coasts and hills.

While this is not especially strong, the Met Office said lowering pressure would combine with high tides around the UK coastline and bring the risk of some flooding.

Parts of Scotland were among the worst-hit by torrential rain, which left large areas of land under water following more than a week of wet weather.

Heather Wildman woke up to 200 acres of her most productive land under water at Overcairn Farm, near New Cumnock, Ayrshire, on Monday (30 December).

“We’ve lived here 12 years and I’ve never seen it like this,” she said. “It’s been relentless.”

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