Households battling to make homes safe as flooding could continue through week

Households are battling to keep their homes safe as the Environment Agency (EA) has warned there could be more flooding in the coming days.

Around 1,250 properties in England have been flooded and an estimated 30,000 properties have been protected, the EA has said.

The agency said more flood warnings are expected for some of the worst affected areas into next week – despite severe flood warnings, meaning risk of death or serious injury, being lifted.

Severe flood warnings in place on the River Derwent in Derby and on the River Idle in the East Midlands were lifted on Sunday.

The EA said: “River flooding will continue into Wednesday along the River Severn.

“Further flooding is possible from rivers and surface water on Tuesday and Wednesday for parts of England due to further heavy rain.”

The warning comes as 83-year-old Maureen Gilbert was found dead after her home was hit by flooding in Derbyshire, taking the number of people who have died since the storm hit the UK to at least four.

Derbyshire Police said the pensioner was found dead at about 10.35am on Saturday at her home in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield.

Her son Paul Gilbert told Sky News he found his mother “floating in the water”.

He told the broadcaster: “I did not want to find my own mum and I expected somebody else to have found her.

“I go through so many different stages, anger, upset, I don’t know. I can’t put it into words what it means at the moment.”

Wendy Taylor, 57, died after being swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, on Thursday, Police Scotland said.

Her family described her as “a ray of sunshine for everyone who was fortunate enough to know her” in a tribute issued through police.

“We are absolutely heartbroken to lose Wendy in such tragic circumstances and are still struggling to come to terms with it. Wendy was a beautiful, kind, funny and caring person,” they said.

“Wendy was the beloved wife, best friend and soulmate in life to George, mother to James, Sally and Susanna and Granny to India and George.”

First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf will visit Brechin, Angus, on Monday to see where the River South Esk burst its banks and flooded dozens of homes last week during Storm Babet.

Angus and Aberdeenshire were badly hit by the storm and teams have been clearing debris from roads, while those hit by flooding are making repairs.

Residents of River Street in Brechin were trying to dry out their homes as they surveyed the damage from the floodwater.

Derby City Council saw record-breaking water levels in the River Derwent and warned that cleaning up after the floods could take several days.

Met Office spokesman Dave Britton said those worst affected by the flooding caused by Storm Babet could see “a couple of quieter days”.

Mr Britton told the PA news agency more settled weather on Monday could allow some respite and a chance for recovery.

He added: “There is this pulse of rain moving its way north overnight later on Monday and into Tuesday, but the rest of the week does look like it remains rather unsettled with spells of rain at times.”

On Friday, a man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing floodwater in the town of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire.

Police Scotland previously said a falling tree hit a van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday evening, killing the 56-year-old driver.

A search is also under way in Aberdeenshire after a report of a man trapped in a vehicle in floodwater.