More gales on way but worst is over

More wind and rain was on the way in the South-East today with some winds reaching gale force, but the weather should brighten considerably during the week.

The Met Office said: "After a brightish morning today, it will cloud over and some fairly substantial wet weather will come in.

"Winds will blow up through the Channel, reaching gale force in places. Through the evening it will clear and tomorrow will be a bright day with lots of squally winds with some showers. The rest of the week looks unsettled."

Forecasters believe the weather will be much the same throughout the UK, bringing relief to hundreds of people suffering after recent violent storms. The PA Weathercentre said: "The worst of the storms seem to be over."

Today a big clear-up is under way in several parts of the country, although 23 flood warnings are in place across England. Nine flood warnings and 13 flood watches are in force in Wales, where 20 families spent the night in emergency accommodation after they evacuated their mobilehome site in Monmouth as the River Wye threatened to flood.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people risk prosecution after descending on a beach to collect wood washed loose from a cargo ship, after it ran aground in heavy seas off the Cornish coast. As salvage plans were made for the 6,000-tonne Kodima, people went on Tregantle Range in Whitsand Bay and took away thousands of planks of pine in pick-up trucks, vans and cars.

The Maltese-registered ship, carrying 456 tonnes of fuel oil, 55 tonnes of marine diesel and 10 tonnes of lubricating oil, is unlikely to refloat until Wednesday. A severe gale forced the 16 crew to evacuate on Saturday.

It has been confirmed that despite the RAF rescue of 18 fishermen on a French trawler 250 miles off the Outer Hebrides, Yannick Jeog, the vessel's captain, was washed overboard.

This is London weather