Flooding threat spreads to Severn and Thames riverside properties [feedly]

Flooding threat spreads to Severn and Thames riverside properties
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Environment Agency warns high tides, large waves and strong winds could lead to floods in south-west and southern England

More homes and businesses are in danger of being flooded over the next few days as pressure built on the government to take action to prevent a similar crisis in the future and residents of the worst-hit area, the Somerset Levels, prepared for a royal visit.

The Environment Agency said high tides, large waves and strong winds would lead to a risk of coastal flooding along the south west and southern coasts of England Tuesday and Wednesday. It warned that properties on the banks of rivers including the Severn and the Thames could also be affected over the same period.

A severe weather warning was issued by the Met Office for Wednesday saying that gusts of up to 80mph and another 40mm of rain were possible across much of southern England and Wales.

The monotony for flood-stranded residents on the Somerset Levels will be broken on Tuesday by a visit from the Prince of Wales, who was already booked in for a tour to discuss the aftermath of the the 2012 winter floods in the area.

Along with members of the Prince's Countryside Fund, which has funds to allocate to communities in times of crisis, the prince will speak to residents and politicians in the village of Stoke St Gregory, near Taunton.

He is then expected to journey by boat to Muchelney, which was completely cut off by the floodwaters for several weeks, before being driven by tractor to a farm in Langport on the banks of the River Parrett, which again burst its banks over the weekend.

It is not only the elements that the people of the Levels are having to deal with after it emerged that thieves had stolen heating oil from a farm in the flood-hit village of Moorland and taken two fire service quad bikes.

The national police air service helicopter flew over the flood-hit area as a "proactive crime prevention exercise" and police horses have been deployed. Chf Supt Caroline Peters, of Avon and Somerset police, said the force had heard rumours of would-be looters out on the Levels on boats at night.