Raining in the new year

IT would take more than torrential rain to stop Mike and Zara Tindall enjoying their family day out at the New Year's Day races yesterday.

- Robert Kellaway

The couple's children Mia, 10, Lena, six, and three-year-old Lucas have clearly inherited equestrian Zara's enthusiasm for the sport as they excitedly cheered from the stands at Cheltenham Racecourse.

More than 100 flood warnings were issued across the UK as rain poured down overnight and forecasters warned heavy snowfalls were on their way.

A major incident was declared in Greater Manchester after severe flooding. Mountain rescue teams were deployed to aid fire and rescue services battling to help people trapped in their homes without running water or stranded in vehicles. Stockport resident Ell Henderson, 28, was waiting to be evacuated from her home yesterday. She said: "It must have started around 3.30am. Then at around 7.30am, the power went out, and we walked into our front room to find out what was going on.

Trapped

"We looked out the window, and it was like a swimming pool outside - the water was about a foot deep."

The Met Office said some parts of the North West were hit with almost a month's worth of rain within 48 hours.