Flooding continues in England as new storm hits Scotland

During the early hours the sixth named storm of the season battered parts of Ireland – with strong winds whipping up waves in Galway.

The Environment Agency says today’s heavy rain could lead to further flood alerts across the area as teams prepare to deal with any problems caused by Storm Frank.

Mr Corbyn said he planned to question officials about 10 “high volume pumps” the party claims the agency owns but has not deployed to the North.

Emergency services in Peebles rescued six people trapped in their homes and cars and 25 people from a care home.

Council chief executive Jim Savege told Sky News: “We’ve looked at where water came in earlier in the week and in anticipation of any more floods coming in we want to try and prevent that and try to protect as many houses as possible in the town”.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “Significant flooding is expected in the Tadcaster area”.

Sir Philip Dilley, who is chairman of the EA, is making his way back to the United Kingdom from Barbados after a two-week holiday, and is expected to face questions as to why he was not based in flood-stricken committees to manage flood prevention and clean-up efforts sooner.

“On the other side of that, the response has been heroic”, she said. Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne have faced criticism from opposition parties that their government has not spent enough on flood defences, particularly in the north of the country.

A vehicle left abandoned in flood water in Newton Stewart.

In Dumfries in western Scotland, Sky presenter Lorna Dunkley spotted a wild otter in the already swollen river, which is predicted to peak this afternoon.

In Ballater, Aberdeenshire, residents from Anderson Road, Deebank Road and Albert Road have been evacuated and a rest centre set up at the Victoria Barracks and nearby Aboyne Academy.

Yellow warnings of wind have been issued across parts of Scotland, England and Wales.

Meanwhile, about 5,500 homes have been without power in Scotland, while more than 2,000 homes in Northern Ireland suffered overnight black-outs as Frank swept in from the Atlantic.

Canal boats in the River Calder in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, where flood sirens were sounded after torrential downpours.

The storm also took its toll on the Grade-II listed Victorian Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, which partially collapsed in the high winds.

Flights were also disrupted at Belfast airport and a man was arrested in Yorkshire on suspicion of theft following reports of looting from flooded homes.

The cordon has now been lifted and residents have been able to return to their homes.