Rain-hit rivers in south-west England will struggle to cope with more rain, the Environment Agency has warned.

Six severe flood warnings are in place for the west country and nearly 200 flood warnings for other parts of England and Wales.

In Devon, police have told drivers to avoid all minor roads north of Barnstaple due to extensive flooding.

In Cornwall, tents have been issued to residents in Lostwithiel, amid fears of flooding from the River Fowey.

Fire crews remained in the Cornish towns of Helston and Lostwithiel overnight to respond to any further flooding incidents.

The River Cober, which broke its banks resulting in devastating flooding on Saturday, has started to recede. But the Environment Agency has warned the area around Helston is not out of danger yet.

Nick Ely from the agency said: "There is nowhere in Cornwall that can really cope with the rain that's coming.

He went on: "Wherever the rain falls, the rivers will respond quickly. We have problems with 'flashy' rivers in Cornwall... where the rivers respond very rapidly with lots of run-off.

"We also have these problems with the catchments being so wet, that our bigger rivers... are also filling up and rising very rapidly".

It has been officially announced that there will be no hosepipe ban in 2013.

This is why I think people who buy houses on food plains are insane. Though I do have to laugh when they then start complaining about flooding. Why planning permission is even granted for houses on flood plains is beyond me.

Houses on stalks, people. Houses on stalks. Again: you don't see George Jetson with a bucket and a pile of sandbags.

That is one alternative. Build on hills is another.

An interesting building, which if they made efforts to make the lower level water proof then it would be perfect, though at what cost? The big drawback would your car insurance actually cover you if you lived in a flood plain? While the house was safe the car floated downstream.

Or, if your house is on stalks invest in:
1 - a ramp to a parking space on stalks (garage with a reinforced door?)
2 - a pneumatic ram that raises the driveway out of reach of the water

2 would also make it a bit harder to steal the car as well.

An interesting building, which if they made efforts to make the lower level water proof then it would be perfect, though at what cost? The big drawback would your car insurance actually cover you if you lived in a flood plain? While the house was safe the car floated downstream.