There are currently more than 600 flood warnings and flood alerts in place across England and Wales today - more than any other day on record - and the Environment Agency is warning of ongoing flood risk.

Persistent, heavy rain continued across the country on Sunday, with the weather remaining unsettled with showers and further spells of rain expected into next week.

The Agency said that significant river and surface water flooding is expected to continue with river levels remaining high especially in York, West Midlands, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and the South of England.

There are currently 5 severe flood warnings where there is a potential danger to life:

• River Teme at Eardiston
• River Teme at Little Hereford and Ashford Carbonel
• River Teme at Ludlow
• River Teme at Tenbury Wells and Burford
• River Wye at Blackmarstone, Hereford

262 flood warnings, meaning that flooding is expected and immediate action is required, and 340 flood alerts, meaning that flooding is possible, are also in place across the country.

The Environment Agency is urging people to remain vigilant, sign up to flood warnings and to check what to do in a flood as Storm Dennis continues to impact communities across the UK.

Over 900 Environment Agency staff are on active incident duty and teams have put up more than 3.5km of temporary flood barriers across the country.

The Agency said it is continuing to operate flood defences and flood storage reservoirs and that flood defences have so far protected more than 14,000 properties.

This year has seen an exceptionally wet winter so far with autumn rainfall records being broken for South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. England as a whole had its fifth wettest autumn on record.

Caroline Douglass, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said that with the effects of climate change, we are seeing more frequent periods of extreme weather, commenting:

“Storm Dennis will continue to bring disruptive weather into early next week, and there are flood warnings in place across much of England. We urge people to check the flood risk in their area and remain vigilant.

“We have teams out across England today, working closely with Police, Fire and Rescue, local authorities and partners to reduce the risk of flooding and keep communities safe. We have put up more than 3.5km of temporary barriers across the country and are ready to operate large defences as required.”