West Midlands and Staffordshire firefighters wade in to help rescue efforts

The Environment Agency has more than 25 severe flood warnings in place – meaning there is still a danger to life.

The worst-hit areas had some respite from rain yesterday but the crisis looks set to continue as more bad weather sweeps in.

Rain will batter the north of England tomorrow with up to three inches (80mm) falling on high ground and potentially more than 4.7ins (120mm) in exposed locations – with most places seeing up to 1.5ins (40mm).

Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes after rivers in York, Leeds and Manchester burst their banks.

Firefighters from the West Midlands rescued an elderly disabled woman in York. A video shows the crew wading into water up to their waists while pushing a lifeboat. They later emerge pushing the boat with the woman they have rescued.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service have also been involved in the operation. Two officers and a command support unit have been sent to help flood victims.

The command support unit from Stone, equipped with the latest computer and radio technology, including two large plasma screens for viewing footage and CCTV of the ongoing situation, is being used as a control centre. It is staffed by station managers Neil Pedersen and Ed Case, from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue headquarters.

The West Midlands area largely avoided problems but flood alerts were also issued for the River Severn in Gloucestershire and Shropshire; River Wye in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire; and River Lugg, south of Leominster.

Bridgnorth was subject to a Flood Alert yesterday afternoon, which is less serious than a Flood Warning or a Severe Flood Warning. The Environment Agency accompanied the alert with this message: "Bridgnorth Gauge was 3.09 metres and steady. A peak level of between 3.2 and 3.5 metres is expected to occur today. The following roads could be affected by flooding: Pentre to Melverley road near Royal Hill, Gravel Hill Lane, Shrewsbury, Sydney Avenue, Frankwell car park, Shrewsbury. The following barrier deployment notifications are in force: Frankwell in Shrewsbury."

Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager said: "They will stay up until we have confidence in the water levels.

"We had about an inch of rain in Wales on Saturday night which has been topping the levels back up again. There has been nothing too dramatic though, not like we have seen over the past weeks."

In Kidderminster, flooding has caused problems around Severn Side South and North in Bewdley. Traffic built up around the B4190 in Load Street where the flooding had hit.

Nationally, Environment Agency deputy chief executive David Rooke called for a complete rethink of the UK's flood defences, and insisted better waterproofing of homes and improved warning systems would be crucial to tackling future weather extremes.

The Government has vowed to look again at the quality of the UK's flood defences as home and business owners face up to a miserable start to the new year.

Emergency financial assistance will also be put in place for affected areas, and homes and businesses damaged by flooding will have access to the same package of support announced for those affected by Storm Desmond.

Mr Cameron praised the efforts of the emergency services and said that with the prevalence of such extreme weather events on the rise, investment in flood defences would continue.

Shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy said the Government must 'drop its complacency' over the need for climate change adaptation.