Heavy rain began to fall on Sunday on York, which escaped further flooding over the weekend as water levels peaked without breaching defences.

It is bad news for troubled areas

Neil Talboys, meteorologist

The Environment Agency said it would be several hours before the downpour had an impact on the city, but warned the rain could continue until Tuesday.

More flooding is expected across the country as a band of heavy rain coming in from the Atlantic starts to spread from the west, striking the whole of England and Wales.

There was likely to be 35-40mm in 24 hours in most areas, the agency added.

Severe flood warnings were announced on Sunday evening for the River Otter at Ottery St Mary and the River Axe at Axminster, both in Devon, and the River Wriggle at Chetnole and Yetminster in Dorset.

Neil Talboys, a senior meteorologist with the PA WeatherCentre, said: "Even after it stops raining there will be the delayed effect of water coming down from the hills.

"It is bad news for the flooded areas."

John Prescott inspects the flooding in York

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has pledged a new national recovery team to help flood victims, with the promise of £51m extra funding for flood defences and warning systems.

The south west of England and Wales were hit first on Sunday, with heavy rainfall all day and high winds felling trees and causing travel disruption.

The bad weather swept southern England and moved into the Midlands, where parts of the River Severn are at critical levels.

The front is expected to slow down as it passes across northern England where the Ouse, Derwent and Aire are all dangerously swollen.

Chemical plant alert

There were 24 severe flood warnings on rivers in Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales, and a further 66 flood warnings remained in force in England and Wales.

Homes in one Gloucestershire village were being evacuated amid rising fears over poisoning from a chemicals plant which exploded six days ago.

Severe flood warnings

River Otter - Devon River Axe - Devon River Wriggle - near Yeovilton, Somerset River Ouse, North Yorkshire - 10 sites in York, plus Naburn, Acaster Malbis Lower Ouse - Kelfield, Barlby to Selby The Aire at Gowdall Derwent, Lower Derwent - Elvington to Barmby, Malton and Norton Lower Dee in Wales - Llangollen to Chester River Severn - Worcester to Gloucester

Concern has been mounting in the village of Sandhurst during the past week about the effect of last Monday morning's blast at the Cleansing Service Group plant nearby.

With weather conditions deteriorating Gloucestershire Police said they had taken the precautionary measure of moving eight families living closest to the site to a nearby hotel.

In York, one of the places worst hit by the recent flooding, river levels fell steadily on Sunday, down by three feet from Saturday morning's peak.

Flood defences in the historic walled city were shored up with 15,000 sandbags in a huge weekend operation involving the emergency services, army and local people.

The long suffering residents of Yalding in Kent are also fearing the worst only a week after much of the village was left underwater when the River

A satellite image of the low pressure system sweeping across the UK

Medway burst its banks in earlier storms.

John Prescott, visiting flood affected areas of Yorkshire, issued what he called a "wake up call" to the country.

He said that Britain would have to accept that climate change meant more frequent extreme weather.