
Britain is preparing for a wet rather than white festive season this year as Storm Eva passed over the country leaving behind downpours set to intensify late on Christmas Day.

The UK is preparing for up to six inches of rain as the already saturated county of Cumbria braces itself for yet more flooding, though the worst of it is not likely to hit until late Christmas Day.

There is also a yellow ‘be aware’ warning for heavy rain from Christmas Day to Boxing Day across a wide area of north-west England - a fragment of 100 flood alerts and warnings in place for England, Wales and Scotland.

Storm Eva roared in across Ireland and western coasts of the UK yesterday, bringing strong winds of up to 75mph and heavy downpours - and almost 2,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland are without electricity today after the fifth named storm of winter damaged power lines.

The Met Office said rain will spread northwards across Cumbria during the afternoon and evening of Christmas Day. Then, during the early hours of Boxing Day, the rain is likely to turn heavy at times and then persist through most of the day.

It has also put out an amber ‘be prepared’ severe weather warning for up to 150mm (5.9in) of rain in the county on Boxing Day.

But meanwhile Britain is on track to break the record for its warmest December since records began in 1910 while some areas have seen their wettest.

Danger: Waves crash over the promenade in Blackpool, Lancashire, today as the Met Office warns of 80mph winds and torrential rain

Despite the chilly winds and brief spells of sunshine Lyme Bay, Devon, saw today, the country is bracing itself for a wet Christmas Day

A lone seagull navigates its way along the coast the end of Chesil Beach, Dorset, this evening as sunset falls over the choppy seas

A rare Christmas Eve full moon is pictured alongside the Shard in London which is lit up for the festive season

The stunning full moon tomorrow night will be the first Christmas Day full moon since 1977

Crashing in: Storm Eva lashes the coast of Blackpool this morning as Britain prepares for yet more heavy rain over the Christmas weekend

Spray: The storms moving off the Atlantic are expected to dump another six inches of rain in Cumbria. Pictured: High waves in Blackpool

Windy: A cyclist attempts to overcome the heavy rain and high waves as she cycles along the seafront at Blackpool as the storm sweeps in

No play today: Keswick Rugby Club in Cumbria is underwater as the weather-battered county prepares for another soaking this weekend

Wet and windy: A man walks his dog along Harrington Promenade in West Cumbria as Storm Eva hits the region today

Tricky stuff: Sophia Hurdman, six, from Caerphilly, pushes her doll's pram on the beach during stormy conditions at Tenby, South Wales

The latest temperatures for December 1 to 22 show the mean temperature for the month in the UK so far has been 8.1C.

The Met Office says this is 4.2C above the long-term average for the month and well above the previous record of 6.9C set in 1934.

Following the unseasonably mild spell, bookmakers have slashed their odds on tomorrow being the warmest Christmas Day ever.

However, forecasters believe temperatures may fall a couple of degrees short before creeping upwards again on Boxing Day.

A William Hill spokesman said: ‘The odds suggest we are set for the hottest Christmas Day and December on record.'

MeteoGroup said the warmest Christmas Days ever were 15.6C (60F), twice – once in Edinburgh in 1896 and again in Killerton, Devon, in 1920.

Today, the Environment Agency has nine flood warnings and 36 alerts for England, while Natural Resources Wales has two warnings and 25 alerts out.

Meanwhile the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has five warnings and 27 alerts - making a total of 40 warnings and 66 alerts for the UK.

Shut: The Hampton Court Palace ice rink has closed to the public due to the warm weather melting the ice and making skating impossible

Sign: This sign told disappointed customers how the temporary ice rink at Hampton Court Palace in South-West London had been closed

Forceful: Strong winds hit the waves on the South Beach at Tenby in South Wales on Christmas Eve today

Blue sky: There was plenty of sunshine at Portland Bill as the lighthouse stood proudly on the Dorset coast today

Sir James Bevan, chief executive of the EA, told BBC Radio 4's The World At One that ‘we will stay on the job’ to help people ‘for as long as it takes’.

He said today: ‘My promise is that we will do everything we can to help people recover from the recent floods and to prevent more flooding.’

Sir James, who added that the EA will ‘minimise the impact if and when that happens’, was asked if the EA can ever do enough to prevent flooding.

‘I don't think you can ever prevent all flooding at all times against all properties,’ he said.

‘Our goal is to make sure that we provide the maximum protection for the maximum number of people and their homes and their businesses.’

He said that after the latest run of bad weather the EA will talk to the communities affected to look at how they can be better protected in the future.

Cover: Brighton is hit by heavy rain and wind today as the few people who venture outside on Christmas Eve shelter under their umbrellas

Crashing over: A car is parked on Harrington Promenade in West Cumbria as Storm Eva hits the region today

Last-minute: Shoppers in Windsor, Berkshire, dash through the rain as Chrismas Eve gift buying was made tougher by the conditions

Inside out: The strong winds and rain caused havoc for last-minute Christmas shoppers in Windsor town centre in Berkshire today

Family outing: Yorkshire came in for a lashing as well, with shoppers in Leeds city centre having to shelter themselves beneath umbrellas

Protection: A man walking through Windsor shelters himself beneath a hood and an umbrella as the rain comes down in the Berkshire town

Forecasters warned residents in the county to ‘be prepared for river and surface water flooding to occur with disruption to travel possible’.

The Met Office said 60mm (2.3in) to 80mm (3.1in) of rain is likely to accumulate during Boxing Day, with up to 150mm (5.9in) possible over high ground.

And more rain was due overnight in flood-hit Cumbria, where locals have been clearing up after the second deluge in three weeks.

Towns in Cumbria, still dealing with the damage from Storm Desmond three weeks ago, were flooded for the third time in a month on Tuesday.

Glenridding, Keswick and Kendal were all hit again, and localised flooding was caused in Appleby after the River Eden burst its banks once more.

A flood warning siren prompted dozens of local people to rush to help - before the stone bridge over the river was closed as a precaution.

Hundreds of staff from the EA are being used to help deal with the crisis, as well as troops who have been assisting since it began.

MeteoGroup forecaster Matt Martin said: ‘Eva has come in across Ireland and western coasts of Britain bringing rain and gusts of wind.

Here she comes: Storm Eva begins to batter the west coast of Wales at Cardigan Bay in Aberystwyth on Christmas Eve today

Hitting the bay: Huge waves strike the west coast of Wales in Aberystwyth on Christmas Eve as wind gusts of 75mph hit at Capel Curig

Gloomy outlook: A dog walker goes on a morning walk as moody and dark skies surround Plymouth in Devon today

‘There have been gusts of 75mph in Capel Curig in North Wales during the evening.

‘During the night the band of rain which has been affecting Ireland will push across Britain, and the winds will strengthen.

‘We can expect three to six hours of heavy rain in Cumbria overnight.

'And looking further ahead, rain will be persistent there throughout the day on Christmas Day.’

Martin Stephenson, a councillor for Appleby, said: ‘We are not looking forward to the arrival of Eva, the next storm... having had two floods already.

‘The first flood on December 5 was exceptional, it over-topped the defences. That was quite a blow. This second flood has been a normal flood.

'It is very prone to flooding, Appleby is noted for flooding, but normally just in the Sands area.

‘Residents and businesses get used to the fact that flooding is a risk nearly all the time.

‘Over the years they have built resilience to that. Even more resilience may need to be built into those areas looking forward.

‘We had what was called a one-in-100-year flood two weeks ago.

'We seem to be getting far more of these severe floods. You then have to ask questions, do you need to do anything more?’

Sandbags and flood defence barriers stood in doorways while skips lined the main streets as council lorries cleared drains and gullies of debris.

Alert: Met Office rain warnings for Christmas Day (left, yellow for 'be aware') and Boxing Day (right, yellow, and amber for 'be prepared')

Incoming system: Storm Eva roared in across Ireland and western coasts of the UK overnight bringing strong winds of up to 75mph

Watch out: Nine flood warnings and 36 alerts in England, two warnings and 25 alerts in Wales and five warnings and 27 alerts in Scotland

On the roads: Delays in the run-up to Christmas on Monday - with the grey area showing the normal time, and the coloured area the delay

On the rails: Services in the South East will be hit by disruption over Christmas, especially those to Gatwick and Heathrow airports

A low wall around 3ft high, built in 1995 and equipped with hydraulic gates to seal off the centre of the town, has prevented flooding many times - but this did not prevent the deluge earlier this month, Mr Stephenson said.

Environment Secretary Liz Truss yesterday chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra committee on the issue.

She said: ‘We are doing all we can to support Cumbrian communities during this difficult time as we face unprecedented levels of rain and possible further flooding over Christmas as more rain falls on heavily saturated ground. I have huge sympathy for those affected.

'It's a terrible situation for already hard hit communities and is tougher still because of the time of year.’

The meeting of Cobra was to ensure every resource available was being deployed in the right place, she said.

‘The weather reports and river levels are constantly being updated and we are adjusting all of our plans to fit the most up to date information so we protect communities in the best possible way.

‘We have over 700 Environment Agency staff ready to respond to flooding, alongside armed forces personnel, as we prepare for all potential scenarios. Around 85 per cent of the country's temporary flood barriers are now in the county, many more sandbags are being delivered to areas shown in the latest forecasts to be most at risk.

‘More than 20 extra pumps are in the north of England, four of these are high volume pumps capable of moving one metric tonne of water per second. EA staff are also working round the clock checking and maintaining flood defences, clearing blockages in watercourses and monitoring water levels.

‘Our priority continues to be protecting lives, protecting homes and protecting businesses. The flood minister Rory Stewart is in Appleby from this morning to ensure the right help is getting through.

‘When I visited the area last week I saw for myself the fantastic community spirit and the incredible work of high vis heroes on the frontline - that work continues.

‘We have already put forward £60million to help these communities get back on their feet since the floods first hit earlier this month - we will continue to do what it takes to keep people safe and help the area recover.

‘In the longer term we have established the Cumbrian Floods Partnership to consider what more can be done to protect these towns and villages from future flooding. While it's too far out to predict precisely what the weather will do, we know there will be further storms on Boxing Day.

‘People should continue to look at EA advice over the coming days as a clearer picture emerges.’

Generous Daily Mail readers have so far raised more than £750,000 for our Christmas Appeal which supports charities in Cumbria and Lancashire aiding people whose homes have been devastated by the floods.

Today, two Irish Ferries sailings from Dublin to Holyhead were cancelled and a third delayed due to bad weather on the Irish Sea.

WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD FOR BRITAIN: PARTS OF NORTH WEST HAVE ALSO HAD RECORD RAINFALL Britain is on track to break the record for its warmest December since records began in 1910 while some areas have seen their wettest. The latest temperatures for December 1 to 22 show the mean temperature for the month in the UK so far has been 8.1C. The Met Office says this is 4.2C above the long-term average for the month and well above the previous record of 6.9C set in 1934. Meanwhile December has been dull and wet across the UK, with sunshine well down on the long-term average and precipitation above. Cumberland has seen 310.9mm of rain, beating the 2006 record of 248.2mm, while Westmorland has had 474.4mm (365.1mm in 2006). Meanwhile Dumfriesshire has had 314mm compared to 307.5mm in 2013, and Carnarvonshire has had 441.3mm (376.6mm in 1965). Mild Britain: The latest temperatures for December 1 to 22 show the mean temperature for the month in the UK so far has been 8.1C Wet wet wet: December has been dull and wet across the UK, with sunshine well down on the long-term average and precipitation above Advertisement

Hounds and riders set off on traditional Christmas Eve hunt as 250,000 prepare to support the countryside pursuit on Boxing Day

Hounds and riders have set off on a traditional Christmas Eve hunt as 250,000 prepare to support the countryside pursuit on Boxing Day.

Riders with the Beaufort Hunt were pictured today arriving at the Volunteer Inn for their hunt in the Wiltshire village of Great Somerford.

The Countryside Alliance claims the 11-year-old Hunting Act is 'in tatters' as record numbers of supporters will attend Boxing Day meets.

And they're off: The hounds lead off as riders set off on the hunt from the Wiltshire village of Great Somerford for the Beaufort Hunt

Big event: The hounds arrive as riders gather in Great Somerford, Wiltshire, where the Beaufort traditional Christmas Eve hunt is meeting

Ruff weather: Hounds look around as riders gather in Great Somerford for the Beaufort traditional Christmas Eve hunt

It says more than 250,000 people will support about 300 registered hunts, who will be trail hunting on the busiest day of the season.

The group claims that not one hunt has been prosecuted in the past year, and the last private prosecution collapsed earlier this month.

Some 378 people have been convicted of Hunting Act offences from 2005 to 2014, but only 24 of these were with registered hunts, it said.

Tinsel on her hat: A young rider sets off on the hunt from the Wiltshire village of Great Somerford for the Beaufort Hunt today

Fancy a glass of red: Drinks are handed out as riders gather in the Wiltshire village for the Beaufort Christmas Eve hunt

Playful: Children enjoy stroking the hounds as riders gather in the Wiltshire village of Great Somerford today

The Act outlawed the chasing and killing of wild mammals with dogs, but it is not an absolute ban on fox hunting and allows some forms.

The League Against Cruel Sports claim an an 'overwhelming majority' of Britons do not want hunting with dogs to be made legal again.

Earlier this month it was revealed that RSPCA has dropped its controversial policy of carrying out private prosecutions against hunts.

Lifeboat crews present two boys with their helmets after saving them during Cumbria flooding

Lifeboat crews have delivered a special Christmas treat to two terrified boys they saved in the Cumbria floods.

Sebastian and Jacob Holmes, aged five and three, were among six members of the same family carried out of a bungalow near Kendal.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution crew members saved them in the early hours of December 6 as flood waters rose dangerously through the property.

Christmas present: RNLI Flood Rescue Team volunteers Elissa Thursfield (left) and Guy Williams (right) with Sebastian and Jacob Holmes

RNLI volunteers found Sebastian and Jacob, who were staying at their grandparents' house, taking refuge from flood water on top of their bunk beds.

Rescuers encouraged them out by promising them their own Flood Rescue Team helmets once they were safe.

Volunteers from the same RNLI teams travelled from Wales to the boys' home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, to deliver the helmets for Christmas.

The boys' father Alan Holmes, who was not with his sons when the floods hit, said: ‘Sebastian and Jacob said they had been promised helmets.

Special gift: Ms Thursfield (left) with fellow RNLI volunteers Vince Jones (centre left), Mr Williams (centre right) and Martin Jones (right)

‘But I just assumed it was something the RNLI guys said to coax them out of the house because they were so scared.

‘But to take the effort to come up here and meet the boys in person and deliver them in time for Christmas is a fantastic gesture.’

The RNLI team also rescued the rest of the family and two dogs from the remote bungalow in the Levens area.

They had been stranded for 12 hours and were using flash lights to signal for help while standing on kitchen tops and bunk beds to escape the water.

Happy with their helmets: The Flood Rescue Team with the Holmes family - including Sebastian and Jacob Holmes, aged five and three

Volunteers from Welsh RNLI lifeboat stations at Abersoch, Moelfre, Beaumaris and Rhyl travelled to meet the Holmes family and deliver the helmets.

The boys' mother Helen Holmes said: 'In order to get my terrified children into the life raft, the RNLI volunteers had to promise the boys their helmets.

‘But we never thought they would turn up on our doorstep with them in time for Christmas.

'I am indebted to [the RNLI], not only for putting their lives at risk to rescue my family, but for being awesome human beings.'