A series of flood warnings were put in place today after heavy rain and 70mph winds swept across the UK.

Homes and shops in Plymouth and Cornwall were flooded overnight and meteorologists warned that further bad weather is likely. The Met Office issued a severe weather warning in England and Wales and confirmed rain has covered much of the UK.

Four flood warnings have been put in place by the Environment Agency, which also issued 32 flood watch alerts - a lower level of precaution.

Devon Fire and Rescue said engines had been called out overnight to more than 20 properties in Plymouth and a handful in Kingsbridge and Dartmouth. A spokeswoman said there were no reports of rivers bursting their banks and added: "The situation seems to be calm now." Cornwall County Fire Brigade confirmed one home had been flood ed in Redruth and another in St Austell.

A Met Office spokesman said: "Further heavy rain will affect Wales during Monday morning, accompanied by a strong south-westerly wind. This will lead to localised flooding. Driving conditions may become dangerous with poor visibility and surface spray. Motorists are advised to take extra care."

Paul Knightley, of the PA WeatherCentre, said the South West bore the brunt of the rain as it swept up England last night. "I would be surprised if there were problems anywhere else. The rest of England will not be affected as bad although we will see a lot of rain," he said. He said heavy rain and strong winds could continue into tomorrow, particularly across Scotland, and the rest of the week would remain unsettled.

Around four inches of rain is expected to have fallen on the slopes of Wales overnight, with around three inches in Cumbria.

The Highways Agency and the AA have urged drivers to take precautions in the bad weather and said police will be out in force to minimise any disruption and keep traffic moving. A spokesman for the Highways Agency warned that leaves blocking drains may contribute to the flooding, while spray from other vehicles would hamper visibility.

Firefighters in North Wales - where several of the flood warnings are in place - said they had no reports of any flood-related incidents.

Flood watches are in force for four South West rivers ahead of further forecast rain. The Environment Agency said the rivers are the Yealm in Cornwall, the Avon and Erme in south Devon and the Coly in east Devon. An Agency spokesman said most rivers had peaked, but there was "a lot more rain coming in this afternoon".

Devon and Cornwall Police said there were reports of localised road flooding across the two counties following last night’s heavy rain, with a number in Plymouth. Some people were stranded in their cars in the city last night.

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