Horses were rescued by RSPCA officers in flooded fields in Wales

Some 34 warnings have been issued for England, mainly in the Midlands and the north-east, and 33 for Wales.

About 101 flood watch warnings are also in place.

Motorists have been advised to take care, as a combination of high winds and wet conditions were set to make driving very difficult in some places.

Homes ruined

In Wales, the area around Llanrwst village has been worst hit.

One couple were stunned at the devastation caused by sewage-laden water, which at its height was 10 inches deep in the living room of the home they bought just 18 months ago.

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY ADVICE Ring Floodline on 0845 988 1188 for up-to-date information Tune in to weather and travel bulletins Keep a watch on the weather and water levels Tell family, friends and neighbours Drive carefully Check availability of torches and batteries Flood damage in pictures

June and Cliff Churchward said they were unprepared for the speed of the deluge which has ruined their two-storey home in Bridge Street.

Mrs Churchward, 51, said: "It was all very scary - at first I thought I could stop it but it just kept coming through the front door."

Rail services on Welsh Valley lines were also disrupted.

Four people are reported to be trapped by the flooding in their homes in Wales, with residents awaiting rescue from the upper floors of houses on in Pontardawe.

In Cumbria, the River Eden in Carlisle has burst its banks and at Borough Bridge, north Yorkshire, the River Ure also flooded.

Scotland has escaped much of the flooding, although the Scottish Environment Protections Agency has issued 13 "floodwatch" alerts.

BBC weather forecaster Everton Fox said rain had started early in southern England and much of Wales on Wednesday.

It has pushed north and eastwards throughout the day, hitting northern England, north Wales and the borders of Scotland about lunchtime and setting in for much of the afternoon and evening, he said.

I knew we couldn't do anything to stop it - we were really scared and the electrics were still on June and Cliff Churchward Flood heartache for couple

The Environment Agency's flood warnings for England are primarily focused around the rivers Derwent, Ure, Ouse, Severn, Trent, Soar, and Wye.

For Wales, they are primarily around the Dee, Severn, Usk, Wye, Vyrnwy and Towy.

Meanwhile, some parts of Britain have seen record-breaking temperatures for the time of year.

Church Fenton, north Yorkshire, registered a temperature of 16.3C, beating the previous record for 3 February of 16.1C.

Lossiemouth in Scotland also broke the record, as did Hawarden in north Wales, both registering 16.2C.