Storm Bella: Risk to life warning as floods force families to evacuate

Severe flood warnings - meaning lives are at risk - have been issued as Storm Bella brings gales and downpours to the UK.

On Boxing Day morning, the Environment Agency issued three such warnings for the Bedford area, Cogenhoe Mill Caravan Site, and the River Nene at Billing Aquadrome.

Officials said there had been heavy rain across the Great Ouse catchment and more was expected, bringing "significant disruption to the community" and also possibly affecting electricity services.

There are also 68 general flood warnings in place across the country, and 95 flood alerts.

The warnings come after Christmas Day flooding which forced hundreds of residents in parts of Bedfordshire to flee their homes.

More than a thousand people were also forced to flee the Billing Aquadrome holiday park in the county of Northamptonshire on Christmas Eve when severe flood warnings were put in place for the River Nene.

Northamptonshire Police said water had reached 5ft high in some places, with emergency services using boats to take residents in the worst-hit areas to safety.

Detective Superintendent Jamie Piscopo said: "Emergency services are working hard to ensure residents can return to the site as soon as possible, however it is not currently safe to do so.

"We'd urge them to stay away until such time it is safe to do."

Storm Bella is expected to bring heavy rain and severe winds of up to 70mph to some other parts of the UK on Boxing Day, the Met Office said.

An amber wind warning has been issued for parts of southern Wales and southern England and a yellow warning for wind in England, Wales and the south of Scotland will be in force from 3pm on Boxing Day.

A yellow warning for rain has also been issued for parts of Scotland, Wales and much of northern and southwest England.

Natural Resources Wales said there were two flood warnings - for the Lower Dee Valley from Llangollen to Trevalyn Meadows and the River Ritec at Tenby - and five flood alerts. There were no severe flood warnings.