Homes and transport hit by floods

Serious flooding was reported as far north as Ripon in North Yorks

Flooding has caused chaos across huge areas of England, with hundreds of people being moved from their homes, and transport severely disrupted.

Many areas are facing more heavy rain and flooding, with more than 40 flood warnings in force.

A search has been launched for a soldier who was swept away while on an exercise in North Yorkshire.

In Northern Ireland, those affected by flooding earlier this week will be given £1,000 each in damages.

There are currently more than 40 flood warnings in force for areas of Norfolk, Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, the Environment Agency has said.

Friday's torrential rain In maps

Two severe flood warnings - indicating "extreme danger to life and property" - are still in place for Ings Beck in West Yorkshire and the River Dearne at Lundwood in South Yorkshire.

Heavy rainfall early on Friday morning caused havoc, with 100 people being trapped by flood water at a factory in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, and 200 homes deluged in the Aston area of Birmingham.

Mid and West Wales Fire Service said they had been called to a number of flooded homes - the worst-affected areas being Borth, Lampeter and Aberteifi.

Road accidents

Network Rail said train services to and from Birmingham were badly affected, with the Birmingham to Cannock line being closed down for the rest of the day.

There were several road accidents, one in which a 57-year-old man from Gloucester broke his leg after his car hit surface water and overturned on the M42 in Warwickshire.

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In Sheffield and Barnsley 14 schools were closed and a nursing home in Sheffield was evacuated.

Tracey Rogers, from the Chapeltown area of Sheffield, said she had tried to protect her home from the deluge - but had failed.

"Everything we've worked for, it's just gone, in 45 minutes. There was nothing we could do," said the 35-year-old.

Also in Chapeltown, a 14-year-old boy had to be pulled from a swollen river in Chapeltown area of Sheffield.

Rescuer Craig Stenton, 41, said: "He had hit his head on a bridge and had taken in a lot of dirty water but he was ok."

And a 17-year-old soldier went missing after falling in a river during a march near Catterick Garrison army base in North Yorkshire.

He was one of three soldiers who fell into Risedale Beck - the other two were rescued by RAF helicopters.

There was also flooding around Kettering in Northamptonshire, and more than 20 people had to leave their homes after the village of Barley in Hertfordshire was hit by flash floods.

Rain moving north

The Met Office said the heavy rain affecting Wales, the Midlands and northern England was moving northwards into southern Scotland and the Borders region.

Scotland could expect showers to continue over the weekend, it said - although not as severe as the battering experienced by much of England.

Northern Ireland would have more rain on Saturday, although not as heavy as it was earlier in the week, a spokesman said.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland would have a dry, warm Sunday, he added.