And the Environment Agency is warning people to remain on their guard for renewed flooding as forecasters predict a return to heavy rain at the end of the week.

The heavy rain is holding off in most areas

Ian Jones Environment Agency

In Monmouth, which saw some of the worst flooding over the last few days, the waters have been subsiding over the course of Tuesday.

Twenty families evacuated from their mobile homes as the River Wye rose have been allowed to return.

The Environment Agency, which is monitoring the situation nationwide, said it expected flood levels to recede over the next 24 hours.

Spokesman Ian Jones said: "The heavy rain is holding off in most areas and the situation is stable to improving across the country."

Flood Watch advice

Tune in to weather and travel bulletins Tell family, friends and neighbours Drive carefully Check livestock and keep pets safe Check availability of torches and batteries Source: Environment Agency

Flood watches - where flooding could be possible - remained in force at 107 other locations by Tuesday afternoon.

Stormy weather has been causing havoc for householders and transport services over the past few days.

Ferry services across the Irish Sea have been disrupted because of adverse weather conditions.

Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall have also been suffering torrential rain and blustery winds.

Heavy seas

In Cornwall "fearsome" weather has been hampering an attempt to refloat a stricken cargo ship.

The Kodima ran aground on Saturday after its crew were rescued in heavy seas.

Bad weather prevented a salvage team from boarding the ship, which is listing at around 15 degrees in Whitsand Bay, to make safe its 456-tonne cargo of oil.

Experts now say they will be unable to launch any salvage effort until Thursday.

Floods are at last subsiding in Monmouth

Burst water and sewerage mains have hindered efforts to assess a landslide at Clydach Gorge on the A465 near Abergavenny, south Wales, which slipped on Saturday.

Fifteen families have been evacuated from their homes and the local school closed.

A fisherman who was rescued by coastguards after being swept off a stone pier into the sea at Porthcawl remains in a critical condition.

In Scotland storms have caused more than �250,000 worth of damage to St Ninian's Cathedral in Perth, after high winds caused a "freak vacuum" to develop inside the building.

The Scottish Episcopal Church said the building has been forced to close because masonry has been dislodged and part of the roof has cracked. The death toll in Britain from a week of gales and flooding has reached 12.