An angry businessman whose village has been affected by flooding in England that has devastated the Somerset Levels said he was “bloody mad” that Lord Smith had refused to apologise to him personally.

The UK's Environment Agency is facing a furious backlash as communities in the south west already hit by flooding were warned that more could be on the way.

Heavy rain and gales of more than 100mph returned to Britain overnight - just days after the last storm caused Christmas misery for tens of thousands of people.

ACCORDING to the Meteorological Service, average temperatures here rose by three quarters of a degree in the last 20 years.