Storms: UK Hit By More Flooding And Chaos

Britain is being battered again by storms and gale force winds - bringing flooding and travel chaos to many parts of the UK.

Stormy seas have caused problems in southwest coastal regions, and forecasters say there will be more violent weather over the next few days.

Wave heights in the Atlantic at midday on Monday Pic: magicseaweed.com

In a statement to the Commons, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said one million homes in England have so far been protected by flood defences.

But he said there was a likelihood of more flooding "for some time to come" in Dorset and Wiltshire.

A rock fall in Porthcothan Bay, Cornwall

As gusts of up to 70mph hit western coasts, people were urged to remain vigilant and stay away from coastal roads, promenades and jetties with 25ft-high waves crashing on to beaches.

There are fears the next high tides will bring further coastal flooding.

Aberystwyth seafront - including 600 rooms of the university's student halls of residence facing the beach - was evacuated and rescue centres set up as high tides battered the coastline.

The search continues for Harry Martin, who went missing in the storms

Sky's Mike McCarthy, at the scene, said: "The worst predictions are being realised. We have seen waves bringing rocks and stones forward over the fencing."

Student Millie Farmer, 19, said 12ft waves had crashed on to the promenade, ripping up paving slabs and leaving debris scattered on the front.

The severe weather has already taken its toll on the transport network and there was more disruption for commuters with roads closed and trains delayed or cancelled in areas.

:: Send us your weather photos or video to news@sky.com or text your pictures to 84501

Southern Railway services between Horsham and Dorking in Surrey will be out of action until early February after a landslip in Ockley.

The village of Bury surrounded by flood water from the River Arun

And with hail providing an additional hazard, driving conditions are expected to be difficult too with the RAC expecting Monday to be one of the busiest days of the year for breakdowns, with 11,000 call-outs expected.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - for heavy rain, along with hail and thunder, in southern and western parts of Scotland, across Northern Ireland, north Wales, northwest and northeast England and the South.

With the ground saturated already following recent storms, the Environment Agency (EA) has issued one severe flood warning - near Bournemouth, Dorset - and more than 300 flood warnings and alerts covering every region in England and Wales.

This is the latest storm front to hit Britain

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 29 flood warnings and alerts in place.

Mr Paterson was in Maidenhead earlier to inspect the town's flood defences and reiterated the Government's commitment to expand schemes to protect homes and businesses.

He said: "It is absolutely awful being flooded and I really do offer my real sympathies to those that have been flooded. It is really shocking for young families and terribly disruptive for businesses."

Waves crash around Portreath Pier on the north coast of Cornwall

The EA said some more than 300 properties have been flooded so far, miles of coastline battered and roads and fields across the country left under water.

Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said: "As the UK returns to work after the Christmas and New Year holidays, some travel disruption is likely on Britain's roads and railways.

"Also, there's likely to be more flooding, with coastal areas at greatest risk as winds gust up to 70mph in the West.

The scene where the man on his mobility scooter fell into the river

"The storm system out in the Atlantic has whipped up the sea creating a large swell which is heading towards us early on Monday morning, so that combined with strong winds could cause flooding at high tide.

"The spring tides are past their peak now, but the high-tide waters are still likely to cause concern."

The weather conditions that brought misery over the festive period continued to prove treacherous at the weekend - with a 47-year-old man becoming the third person to die in the recent storms.

Tewkesbury is underwater due to floods again

The unnamed victim died when his mobility scooter fell into the swollen River Thames at Osney Lock, Oxford, at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson inspects flood defences in Maidenhead

A search is continuing for missing 18-year-old student Harry Martin, who was last seen leaving his home in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, on Thursday afternoon to take photos of the storms.

A 27-year-old man from Surrey was found on Porthleven Sands beach in Cornwall after he was swept out to sea on New Year's Eve night and a woman died after being rescued from the sea in Croyde Bay, north Devon.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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