Flood warnings were in force across most of Britain last night.

The Environment Agency said parts of Cambridgeshire were most at risk and people had been warned to take immediate action.

A severe flood warning - the highest level - was issued for an area around Bury Brook, between Kings Ripton and Ramsey.

A agency spokesman said around 99 properties in the area had been warned of the risk by phone or text.

"That's not to say 99 properties will flood, none may flood," he said.

The spokesman said residents were not asked to evacuate but were told to check the whereabouts of family and pets and to move valuables upstairs.

Cambridgeshire Police said it was monitoring the at-risk areas.

There are 11 less serious flood warnings in place in parts of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Bedfordshire.

Nine warnings have been issued in the northeast.

The Environment Agency said there was a risk of flooding in parts of Yorkshire, including Scarborough, at Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, and in Roker, Sunderland.

All other areas of England - except the northwest - are currently subject to 132 flood watches which means flooding is possible on low-lying land.

The Thames Barrier was closed yesterday morning to reduce the risk of flooding to the west of the capital.

The spokesman said the action was taken because of the risk of water trying to flow out of London becoming trapped by the high tide and a storm surge from the Channel.

The barrier was reopened yesterday afternoon but may be raised again for the next high tide.

The flood warning comes after days of heavy rain swelled rivers.

Vanessa Robson, 53, from Beverley, East Yorkshire, died after her Land Rover was swept down a swollen river at Hartoft, on the North York Moors, on Friday.

The rain continued yesterday morning as a storm which hit France, Spain, Portugal and Germany passed over Britain.

Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said around 2.5 centimetres of rain fell over Kent.

Winds of 40-50 mph were reported over East Anglia and Kent, he said, but "nothing on the same scale" as the 90 mph winds reported in France although it was caused by the same low pressure system.

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