The Environment Agency (EA) has issued a severe “danger to life” flood warning with a “large-scale evacuation” required as melting snow saturates rivers. 

The EA has put the warning in place for the River Soar at caravan parks near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire, saying: “This severe warning has been issued because large-scale evacuation is required.

“River levels are rising at the Pillings Lock river gauge as a result of heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt. Consequently, flooding of properties is expected to continue. Areas most at risk are Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar.”

It added: “Please follow advice from emergency services and call 999 if in immediate danger.”

At around 8am today (Tuesday), there were 179 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 263 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, active across England.

National Resources Wales has 14 flood alerts in place.

Road and rail links have been closed while Manchester and Bristol airports were forced to suspend flights earlier on Tuesday because of the conditions.

A yellow snow and ice warning is in place across most of south-west England and Wales, coastal parts of North Wales and Merseyside and parts of north-west England and the West Midlands, until 10am this morning (Tuesday). The same warning is in place for western and northern parts of Scotland until midday, and in Northern Ireland until 11am.

A critical incident has been declared by East Midlands Ambulance for the first time ever, with flooding partly responsible for the “level of escalation”.

A major incident was also declared by authorities in Lincolnshire on Monday night, with a warning that more flooding could occur on Tuesday.

Lincolnshire Resilience Forum said 40 flood warnings and 29 flood alerts were in place across the county, with reports of 62 properties “internally flooded”.