Floodwaters miss power station by two inches

There was some good news for authorities battling floods across the UK tonight, as waters appeared to peak below the level which could have flooded a power station serving half a million homes.

The Environment Agency (EA) said the River Severn at Gloucester had reached a peak two inches (50mm) below the main quay wall which protected the city centre and Walham Substation.

The EA said river levels in many of the worst-hit areas were peaking tonight and tomorrow, but warned that unsettled weather over the next few days could cause more problems.