Flood warnings remain in place for Worcester Flood defences

The Environment Agency said 68 flood warnings remained in place, although defences have been installed in several places affected last summer.

Despite drier weather on Wednesday, the ground remains saturated in some areas.

Steady rain and localised downpours are predicted for Thursday, with more rain on Friday and at the weekend.

Pumps and sandbags

In the village of Burstwick in East Yorkshire, 180 properties are at risk from flooding, but pumps and sandbags have been deployed to try to keep water levels down.

The tidal gate has been closed on the River Humber at Burstwick Clough, and an Environment Agency spokesman said water could overwhelm the defences.

In Gloucestershire, residents are bracing themselves for further flooding as the agency warns even a small amount of rain could overwhelm the saturated rivers.

FLOOD WARNINGS: WHAT TO DO Move pets, vehicles and valuables to safety Alert your neighbours, particularly the elderly Put sandbags in place and plug sinks and baths Be ready to turn off gas and electricity Unplug electrical items and move them upstairs Co-operate with emergency services and local authorities Do what you can in daylight Source: Environment Agency See map of worst-hit areas

The Environment Agency said the situation was stable on Thursday morning and it did not expect the River Severn to rise much further.

Two warnings remain on the river north of Tewkesbury to Gloucester, and one warning remains on the Avon near Tewkesbury.

And flood warnings are still in place for the lower Avon and the Severn down from Worcester.

There is also a flood warning for the River Kym in Cambridgeshire.

Agency spokesman David Throup said: "We are watching very carefully over the next few days. There is not a lot more capacity in the system so any rain we do get is going to raise levels.

"We are on alert and running incident rooms 24/7. This is not a precise science and it is difficult to predict precisely where the rain is going to fall."

Flood defences are being put up in Ironbridge, Shropshire in anticipation of river levels peaking on Thursday.

'Take precautions'

In Newark, Nottinghamshire, members of the travelling community were asked to move to higher ground as the River Trent had threatened to flood.

Rail services were badly disrupted in other parts of the country, with taxis and replacement bus services transporting passengers in Powys and Hampshire.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said people in areas where warnings are in place should take action against potential flooding of homes and businesses.

The Highways Agency has warned motorists to take extra care on the roads and advised anyone planning a long journey to pack food and warm clothes in case they become trapped.