Cars submerged by floods as heavy rain hits following Storm Angus

Flooding continues to bring chaos and misery across parts of south west England.

Commuters face being stranded or severe delays on their journey home as the rail network struggles due to the extreme weather.

Great Western Trains are also reportedly unable to find rail-replacement buses in the quantity needed to overcome the problems caused by the flooding.

Commuters are expressing their frustration on Twitter with many saying the lack of information is "infuriating".

The Environment Agency (EA) has urged the public stay safe around rivers and not to drive through flood water, as rain battered many parts of the country.

Chris Francis, of the EA, told ITV News that rivers in the south west of England are "very swollen" due to heavy rain, so people should remain very cautious.

"We've had so much rain, and debris in the river has got caught up with all the flooding," he said.

"Hopefully the rain should stop soon. The water seems to be flowing clearly under the river now, so it should start to recede fairly soon."

Mr Francis added that EA teams have been dispatched to respond to reports of flooding in the region, and have been checking rivers and bridges to help ensure public safety.

Communities in England have been warned to prepare for more flooding and disruption as heavy rain is forecast to continue across the country for the next 36 hours .

The south-west, particularly Devon and Somerset that were hit by Storm Angus over the weekend, and the north of England, will be worst affected.

Environment Agency teams are closely monitoring river levels and are working hard to reduce flood risk. They reminded people not to take unnecessary risks and avoid driving through flood water or walking near swollen rivers.

Clare Dinnis, National Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said: "People in the south west and north in particular need to be prepared for the risk of flooding and we urge people check their flood risk on GOV.UKor call Floodline for advice on 0345 988 1188."

Motorists continued to face difficulties on roads in south-west England, as flooding hit the region.

ITV News Wales and West of England Correspondent Rupert Evelyn filmed footage of a BMW stuck in a flooded narrow lane:

Several cars have been submerged in water as flooding hit parts of the south west of England.

Wet weather is expected to sweep across the south west and move northwards over the next 24 hours, causing damage and disruption on already saturated ground.

The Environment Agency said it is preparing to put up temporary defences "where necessary", and added that rivers have been cleared to ensure water can flow freely.

The Met Office has issued a weather warning and told people to be prepared for localised flooding and transport disruption as heavy rain batters the UK.

Heavy, persistent rain is expected to sweep across the south west and move north, causing damage and disruption as it falls on ground already saturated by Storm Angus.

The Environment Agency said it is preparing to put up temporary defences "where necessary" and said rivers have been cleared to make sure water can flow freely.

An amber "be prepared" warning has been issued for south west England, while the West Midlands, Wales and north of England are all covered by a yellow "be aware" warning, with more than two inches (60mm) of rain forecast to fall in some places.

• Video report by ITV News Correspondent Dan Rivers

Half a month's rainfall is predicted to fall in just a few hours tomorrow as Storm Angus batters southern Britain.

Hundreds of homes were left without power after flash floods and high winds hit today.

The first big storm of the season, Storm Angus even forced one ship's crew to abandon their vessel when it crashed into a barge, and began taking on water.

As Storm Angus continues to lash parts of southern England, the Kent and Sussex coast has been hit with strong winds and waves.

Winds of 80mph were recorded at Langdon Bay on the Kent coast on Sunday morning as the first storm of the season arrived.

The Met Office has issued an amber "be prepared" flood warning for south-west England for Monday.

Further wind and rain is also expected to move north across England and Wales.

Passengers hoping to travel between Calais and Dover have been warned of a risk of delays due to bad conditions caused by Storm Angus.

They have been advised to contact relevant ferry companies for up-to-date information.

Winds of up to 80mph have been recorded as the storm continues to batter southern England.