Flood warnings in place across UK as heavy rain sweeps country » Communities » 24dash.com

Parts of the UK were on flood alert today as torrential downpours swept across the country.

Every corner of Britain was set to be hit by heavy rain, according to forecasters.

And as the deluge moved north, seven flood watches across the UK were issued by the Environment Agency.

Summer holidaymakers in the South West saw their travel plans hit as more than 20mm of rain hit parts of Devon and Cornwall in the early hours.

Areas of Wales and Northern Ireland were also subjected to heavy downpours.

In central London, commuters were soaked as 5mm of rain fell over two hours before 7am.

Claire Austin, a meteorologist from MeteoGroup, said: "There is a possibility of flooding today.

"The reason we have got so much rain is a band moving north-east.

"Northern Ireland, the Midlands, East Anglia and London have already been hit.

"There will be heavy rain and, at times, thunderstorms."

The unseasonal weather was likely to continue throughout the week, forecasters added.

Gale force winds will hit the south coast with gusts up to 60mph tomorrow.

Richard Young, chief forecaster for the Met Office, said: "Unfortunately, the poor summer weather shows no sign of letting up over the next few days.

"As well as more rain or showers, strong winds on Wednesday could make for difficult cross-channel journeys."

The weekend outlook was also bleak, he added.