More UK residents evacuated as Storm Frank brings further flood misery

Heavy rain and high winds brought on by Storm Frank are battering the UK, bringing fears of fresh flooding and further misery.

Thousands of homes in Scotland and Northern Ireland have been left without power as the third named storm in a month to hit the country caused widespread disruption overnight.

Gales and further heavy rain are expected in the already flood-ravaged north of England today, with people in some areas urged by officials to immediately evacuate their homes.

The chairman of the Environment Agency (EA) Sir Philip Dilley is due to visit flood victims today after he returned from a Christmas holiday to Barbados amid criticism at the timing of his break during some of the worst storms in decades.

Three severe flood warnings are in place in Croston, Lancashire, with residents being urged to pack up and leave without delay, while across England and Wales more than 40 flood warnings and more than 80 lower level flood alerts are in force.

About 5,500 homes are without power in Scotland as gale-force winds and heavy rain batter the country, while more than 2,000 homes in Northern Ireland suffered overnight blackouts as Frank swept in from the Atlantic.

More than 60 flood...