People are counting the cost of damage caused by flooding during Wednesday night and are bracing themselves for more heavy rain throughout Thursday night.

The South and South West were hit particularly hard by Wednesday night's storms.

In St Ives, Cornwall, a clean-up operation has begun after flood waters reached up to five feet (1.52 metres) deep in some places.

About 18 people - including a 90-year-old woman - had to be rescued and the town's lifeboat was used to ferry people to safety.

Flood warnings

The Environment Agency has no severe flood warnings issued for Thursday night, but some regions are still at risk.

The agency has issued less dramatic flood warnings across a number of areas in the South West, the Midlands and southern England.

Wales, East Anglia and parts of the North East are also at risk of some flooding.

The agency recommends that pets are kept safe and that vehicles and valuables items are moved to safety as a precaution.

Many roads around the country have been flooded

In Cornwall, the effect of Wednesday night's flooding on local people was clearly evident.

St Ives resident Jeanette Heathorn said: "It's sheer devastation.

"The baker's shop had loaves of bread floating six inches from the ceiling and the Chinese shop had a ton-and-a-half refrigerator just lifted across the shop floor.

"There's mud and broken glass everywhere."

Retained firefighters tried to help residents as the River Stennac burst its banks.

The Fire Brigades Union said ageing Green Goddesses did not have the capabilities to cope with such flooding emergencies.

Cars abandoned

Elsewhere in Devon and Cornwall, houses were flooded, roads closed and many cars abandoned.

In Dorset, earlier warnings issued for properties in the Gillingham and Chew Magna areas have now been given an all clear from the agency.

Homes along the Middle and Lower River Stour, from Hamoon to Christchurch, and the west Dorset coast are also no longer at risk.

For the latest up-to-date information, the Environment Agency advises people to ring Floodline on 0845 988 1188.