- Environment Agency has urged people to stay away from the sea and rivers because they risk being killed
- Almost 300 flood alerts and warnings in England and Wales, with torrential rain expected to batter South first
- Met Office warns rain could give way to ice and snow as bitterly cold Arctic air brings freezing temperatures
- PM says lessons will be learned and insists that EA has been given the funding to protect frontline services
- Third death last night as 47-year-old man's mobility scooter falls into river in Oxford off flooded pathway
Britain was today enduring the worst series of winter storms in more than 20 years - as people across the country prepared for even more flooding.
The Environment Agency has issued 73 flood warnings urging people to take immediate action, while a further 213 areas are on flood alert.
Coastal areas - particularly in the South - are most at risk as they cope with a combination of unusually high tides and another Atlantic storm today.
From above: An aerial view the Worcestershire and Gloucestershire countryside which is still under floodwater, as Britain braces itself for more floods
No running: Worcester Racecourse is still under water in the city centre as the country is swamped by flooding
Wide view: Another aerial view the Worcestershire and Gloucestershire countryside which is still under flood water
Surrounded by water: Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire remains dangerously close to the flood water
Treacherous conditions: This Volkswagen Golf car somehow got through the Strood road crossing in West Mersea, near Colchester, Essex
Good time to own a boat: Areas next to the River Thames in Henley-on-Thames, Berkshire, are flooded after the river burst its banks
Getting through: Cars pass each other on a flooded section of road in the village of Yalding in Kent
Debris: A large wave crashes over the promenade at high tide in Aberystwyth, Mid Wales
Making the most of it: Flooding in Worcester as the swans take over the streets near the river front after the River Severn bursts its banks once more
Feet up: Hove Promenade on the Sussex coast this morning, which has been badly hit by the storm
Submerged: The River Stour has burst its banks and flooded Christchurch in Dorset
Damage: A child looks at the flooding in Christchurch, Dorset, where swans were enjoying themselves
A map of flood alerts across the country. Red means a flood warning and yellow is for a less-serious flood alert
Already lives have been lost, sea fronts have been wrecked, thousands of acres of countryside have been left underwater and cliffs have collapsed.
A 47-year-old man died yesterday after his mobility scooter fell into a river when he was apparently driving it along a flooded pathway in Oxford.
Thames Valley Police were called to Osney Lock at 6.30pm after receiving a report that the man had been seen to fall into the river. He died at the scene.
Families were forced into emergency shelters and two villages were cut off by floods yesterday - and there is no sign of the weather relenting.
David Cameron today pledged that lessons will be learned and insisted that the EA has been given the funding to protect frontline services. When questioned about the EA’s ability to fund flood defences on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the Prime Minister replied: ‘We're spending £2.3billion in this four-year period on flood defences, which is more than the previous four-year period.
‘We have also enabled them to access other sources of money - partnership funding - so I think we're going to see record levels of spending on flood defences and we have guaranteed that right out into 2020 so they can really plan for the future.
‘Local authorities have had to make difficult decisions. The Environment Agency does have to make sure it controls its budgets carefully but we are making sure they invest in the frontline.’
Family time: A man, woman and young girl sit together on a bench on the promenade at Brighton beach, which is seen covered with shingles
Going for a walk: A boy rides on a scooter and a dog runs to keep up as one of Brighton's iconic beach huts is seen damaged by the storm
Extreme sport: A surfer paddles out in rough seas at Porthcawl in Mid Glamorgon, Wales
Crash: High tide waves break along the seafront at Porthcawl in Mid Glamorgon, Wales
Unusual sight: The uncanny shape of a large white horse jumping over the Cobb Wall at Lyme Regis in Dorset
Underwater: Flooded playing fields surround Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire. Weather reports suggest further rainfall will arive in the next 24 hours
Floodwater: Geese feed as the rising level of the River Thames at Shepperton Lock in Surrey threatens local housing along the river
No-go area: Warning signs prevent traffic entering a flooded road in Tewkesbury. The already full waterways are being placed under further pressure
Walking the dog: A large wave crashes over the promenade at high tide in Aberystwyth, Mid Wales
Taking a risk: Members of the public watch as high tide waves break along the seafront at Porthcawl in Mid Glamorgon, Wales
South coast: Waves crash on the seafront at Western Esplanade in Hove, Sussex
‘I think the community response has been incredible. I saw for myself how people come together and help and the emergency services have done an absolutely great job.
‘There are always lessons to learn. I think we're doing a lot more things better.
‘I think flood warnings are better, I think the flood defences have protected tens of thousands of homes but there will always be lessons to learn and I'll make sure they are learned.’
All over the country: There were almost 300 Environment Agency flood alerts or warnings still in place across England and Wales at 11am today
Astonishing start: A bright red sky at sunrise over countryside near Burton, south-west of Burnham-on-Sea, in Somerset today
Beautiful: Late afternoon sun from the viewpoint at Birdlip Hill towards Gloucester, with the Malvern Hills in the distant far right
Response: Prime Minister David Cameron discussed the floods while appearing on BBC One's current affairs programme, The Andrew Marr Show
Red sky in the morning: The dramatic sunrise over flooded Malmesbury in Wiltshire
People staying at the Little Venice Country Park in Kent use a boat to rescue their possessions
This driver struggled to make it through waterlogged roads in Kent
Severe weather has battered coastal towns like Aberystwyth in Wales
A spokesman warned that, if the rain persists for another two days, vast stretches of the Severn will be on the brink of flooding.
These horses had to be rescued from rising flood waters near Christchurch, Dorset
The sun sets over flood water beside the M5 motorway River near Upton upon Severn in Worcestershire
Farmland in Carmarthen, Wales, was covered when the River Towy burst its banks
A man sits and watches as a giant wave crashes over the promenade wall in Barmouth, Wales
A surge of water engulfs the promenade wall in Barmouth. Along parts of the front the force of the waves smashed through the sea wall
A man feels his way with a walking stick through the flood waters at Christchurch Quay after the river Stour burst its bankS
PM: LESSONS WILL BE LEARNED
David Cameron has pledged that lessons will be learned after flooding hit parts of the UK.
The Prime Minister also insisted that the Environment Agency has been given the funding to protect frontline services.
Mr Cameron told the BBC: 'We're spending £2.3billion in this four-year period on flood defences which is more than the previous four-year period.
'We have also enabled them to access other sources of money - partnership funding - so I think we're going to see record levels of spending on flood defences and we have guaranteed that right out into 2020 so they can really plan for the future.'
The Prime Minister also insisted that the Environment Agency has been given the funding to protect frontline services.
Mr Cameron told the BBC: 'We're spending £2.3billion in this four-year period on flood defences which is more than the previous four-year period.
'We have also enabled them to access other sources of money - partnership funding - so I think we're going to see record levels of spending on flood defences and we have guaranteed that right out into 2020 so they can really plan for the future.'
Forecaster Matt Dobson for MeteoGroup said the rain ‘simply has nowhere to go’ after weeks of severe weather has saturated the ground and swelled rivers.
He added: ‘It's very unusual to have so many powerful storms come in one after the other in such a short space of time - we haven't seen anything like this since about 1991.
‘The nasty weather of the last few days is going to continue across the UK, with the combination of high tides and a powerful storm putting coastal areas particularly at risk.
‘Any rain will mean more flooding as the ground is saturated and swollen rivers are coming up against strong waves. The water simply has nowhere to go.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings of ice and rain, predicting river and surface flooding as well as travel disruption mainly in south Wales and the south west and south east of England. Up to 40mm (1.6in) of rain could fall in higher ground.
Inland rainfall will put pressure on rivers, endangering nearby communities including those along the River Medway in Kent, the River Thames in Oxford and Osney and the River Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire.
Intrigued locals peer over the railings at the violent seas in Brighton
The force of the storm whips up a swell as huge waves break against the groynes on Brighton beach
A photographer stands at a safe distance to capture the force of nature whipping up the seas off the Brighton coast
A man watches the floodwaters rising in Shepton Mallet, left. And right, Craig Robertson wades through the torrents of water in the town
In Guernsey a car attempts to make it through water which has poured on to the sea road after 10 metre tides coincided with strong winds
Locals in Aberystwyth discover a new path to the sea after the storm tore a huge hole in the sea wall
The Thames barrier will remain closed to protect land near the river.The strong winds, persistent rain and tidal waves are predicted to the batter the UK for at least another two days, as emergency services attempt to cope with the trail of devastation already created by the severe weather.
More than 200 homes have been flooded from Cornwall to Scotland, with miles of coastline battered and roads and fields across the country left under water.
Meanwhile, searches resumed in south Devon for missing 18-year-old university student Harry Martin, who was last seen leaving his home to take photographs of the weather - with more than 100 people volunteering to look for him.
Take cover! People are drenched by the crashing waves in Dover, Kent as the tidal surges continue
A child jumps to dodge the spray as waves crash against the pier in Worthing, near Shoreham-by-Sea
Fierce waves pound the seafront in Worthing as people watch, just out of harms way
The Plough Inn in Upton upon Severn is surrounded, after the River Severn burst its banks
A petrol station in Upton upon Severn is cut off by water as a sign alerts people to the flood
The Thames Barrier in east London was closed on Saturday afternoon to protect the capital from the rising waters
Drivers making their way along the A14 near Cambridge on Saturday were battling against some hazardous driving conditions
Officials around the country have pleaded with people to keep away as dozens put their lives at risk by going to coastal areas to watch as the storm brought waves of up to 40ft high crashing onto land.
A man and child were almost swept away by a huge wave at Mullion Cove in Cornwall as they peered over the sea wall to watch the raging sea, and elsewhere in Cornwall vehicles driving on a coastal road were swamped and almost washed away by a tidal surge.
RNLI crews were forced to rescue a man who had ventured to the end of a jetty in Aberystwyth on Saturday. First year university student Edward Laxton was taking pictures as the storm battered the harbor
Mr Laxton stands on the edge of the pier which only has waist-high railings as the waves tower above him
The RNLI teams brought Mr Laxton aboard the dinghy in a lifejacket and took him ashore to safety
Aberystwyth in Wales felt the full force of the storm, the most powerful for decades, as part of the promenade was torn up
While the storm ravaged the Welsh town overnight, Aberystwyth faced another barrage of waves, hitting the seafront
Experts have been out assessing the damage, which is expected to run into millions of pounds in Wales alone
The promenade in Aberystwyth was ripped apart as the storm ravaged the coast
A bench is submerged in shingle and sea debris, thrown ashore as 30ft waves battered the beach
The Welsh coast was hit as the highest tides in decades peaked at the same time as the storm unleashed its full force on Friday night
Railings have collapsed and the paving has been uprooted along the promenade in Aberystwyth, left. Right, farmland around Leatherhead in Surrey is under water after the River Mole burst its banks, buckling under the pressure of the storm
A pair of rowers take advantage of the flooded racecourse in Worcester, taking a run along the finishing straight
Worcester Racecourse is completely submerged after the ferocious storm hit and torrents of rain fell on already waterlogged ground
A tractor and trailer manages to get through the floodwater in Sutton, Cambridgeshire
Police pulled a man from the sea who had been drinking at Towan Beach, Newquay, after he had ignored warnings about the fierce storms.
In Aberystwyth, Dyfed, a man was rescued by lifeboat after he became trapped when photographing waves from a harbour jetty.
Emergency services rescued four people from a flooded farm in Llanbedr near Barmouth, north west Wales, the River Severn burst its banks in Gloucestershire for the second day running and a pregnant woman was rescued after 30 properties were flooded in Cardigan, mid-Wales.
Part of the sea wall behind the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe collapsed because of the storms.
The coastal surge in recent days has tested over 3,000km (1,864 miles) of flood defences in England and over 205,000 properties have been protected.
The River Mole in Leatherhead, Surrey burst its banks over Christmas but after days of torrential downpours the water level has not yet receded
In Aberystwyth, Dyfed, a man was rescued by lifeboat after he became trapped when photographing waves from a harbour jetty.
Emergency services rescued four people from a flooded farm in Llanbedr near Barmouth, north west Wales, the River Severn burst its banks in Gloucestershire for the second day running and a pregnant woman was rescued after 30 properties were flooded in Cardigan, mid-Wales.
Part of the sea wall behind the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe collapsed because of the storms.
The coastal surge in recent days has tested over 3,000km (1,864 miles) of flood defences in England and over 205,000 properties have been protected.
Debris strewn across Troon beach in Scotland after winds ripped a huge tree from the ground
People emerged from their homes on the Welsh coast on Saturday to survey the damage caused overnight
Tonnes of sand and gravel has been dumped on the roadway in Aberystwyth, along with huge chucks of the promenade pavement and railings
A telescope leans precariously after the strong seas knocked it over as the storm hit
The promenade in Aberystwyth was closed after debris was strewn across the road. But locals could not resist the chance to get a closer look at the angry seas
Leatherhead Football club, pictured, and vast swathes of the country were under water today after heavy rain battered southern and western parts
Waterlogged ground, like that at Leatherhead Football Club, has forced a number of sporting fixtures to called off. Two FA cup ties and horse racing meetings have fallen victim to the weather
Flooding on the river Severn in Worcestershire
The River Mole in Leatherhead, Surrey burst its banks over Christmas but after days of torrential downpours the water level has not yet receded
A sign on Preston Beach in Weymouth states the Environment Agency are carrying out emergency repairs
POLICE SEARCHING FOR MAN LAST SEEN WALKING TOWARDS COASTAL PATH TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE WEATHER
Harry Martin left his home in Membland, Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, Devon, at around midday yesterday
Air, sea and land searches are under way for an 18-year-old who has not been seen since he left his home to take pictures of the weather.
Harry Martin left his home in Membland, Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, Devon, at around midday on Thursday as the storm approached.
Devon and Cornwall Police said Mr Martin was last seen walking in the direction of the coastal path near his home.
Police, Coastguard, the RNLI from Plymouth and helicopters from the police and RNAS Culdrose are conducting extensive searches around the coast and inland areas.
A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: 'The police, Devon Rescue Group, Coastguard, specialist search dogs and members of the public are continuing to search for Harry.
'Over 100 members of the public have volunteered to assist with searches in the local area of Newton Ferrers. We advise the public not to put themselves at risk.'
'His disappearance is described as out of character and police are extremely concerned for his welfare,' the police spokesman said.
'Anyone who has seen Harry or knows of his whereabouts is urged to contact police immediately.'
A Coastguard spokesman said: 'They were last seen heading out to take photos of the weather yesterday lunchtime.
'Although missing person inquiries are co-ordinated by the police, HM Coastguard assist by co-ordinating search and rescue along the coastline and out to sea.
'Because the village is situated on the River Yealm estuary, the Coastguard rescue teams from Yealm and Plymouth were sent to search the coastline whilst the RNLI lifeboats from Plymouth searched the sea.
'The Royal Navy helicopter from Culdrose is also on scene, searching the area around Newton Ferrers.'
Mr Martin is described as 5ft 11in, and slim with short dark hair, a light beard and blue eyes.
He is thought to be wearing pink skinny jeans and a grey hooded jumper.
Later, police described Mr Martin's family as 'distressed' and said they did not wish to speak publicly.
The storms have already claimed at least two lives.
The body of a 27-year-old man from Surrey was found on Porthleven Sands beach in Cornwall.
He had been swept out to sea on New Year's Eve night, having gone for a paddle with friends at nearby Loe Bar.
In a second tragedy on Tuesday, a woman died after being swept out to sea at the popular beauty spot Croyde Bay in north Devon.
The woman, who was believed to be on holiday with her family, was rescued from the sea and airlifted to hospital before being confirmed dead by doctors.
Elsewhere, police in Dorset investigating a report of a man falling into the swollen River Stour in Christchurch have ended their inquiries after no-one was reported missing in the area.
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