Flooding: Homes evacuated after South West downpours

Fire crews were pumping water out of houses through the night after flooding forced people to evacuate their homes.

Several people in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, had to spend the night in a community centre, while 18 people had to abandon their caravans at Notter Bridge, near Saltash.

The fire service called in "water rescue units" from Devon after 35mm (1.4 in) of rain fell in just 24 hours.

The flood risk is reducing over the weekend.

Saltash Community Fire Station said both of its pumps were sent to two separate incidents on Friday, with both appliances pumping water until 04:00 GMT on Saturday.

East Cornwall Search and Rescue were sent out near Golitha Falls at 19:00 GMT on Friday after reports of a driver trapped by floodwater.

They also helped evacuate residents in Lostwithiel and Notter Bridge.

"Fortunately there were no injuries reported, but there is still a lot of floodwater around this morning so please take extra care especially if you are on the roads," it added.

Environment Agency teams are clearing screens to keep rivers flowing and local Coastguard Rescue Teams have also been involved in the overnight operations.

"At about 06:30 we were called to a property at the end of Lostwithiel which was flooding," said firefighter Steve Strauss.

"Two people were taken out of there with two dogs, and we've now been pumping out ever since," he added.

"We are short of field operatives tonight to help keep the screens clear and rivers flowing," said Nick Ely, from the Environment Agency.

"I'm not needed at the moment in my normal duty role, so I'm out with the team tonight helping and just cleared a tree trunk," he added.

Areas hit by downpours on Friday are set to face lighter rain over the weekend, with the flood risk reduced.

The Met Office said this band of wet weather would gradually make way for sunshine and lighter showers across the whole nation throughout the weekend.