Going under?

And although the number of flood warnings in force has decreased, the danger is not over, as the Environment Agency has warned the ground is so saturated there will be a threat of flooding until March.

It's a scenario that seems to be played out more and more frequently - it's only two years since the UK endured the worst flooding since 1947, with damage to 10,000 flooded properties estimated at around £1 billion.

This time, the flooding has not been as extensive, although hundreds of properties were affected and householders are still mopping up in areas of southern England such as Chertsey, in Surrey.

The Environment Agency says although there has been more rainfall than average recently, it is not particularly unusual for the time of year and the problems have been caused simply by a band of heavy rain cutting a swathe across the country.

The Met Office also says the weather is "nothing out of the ordinary" for a British winter.

A spokesman says the conditions have been fairly typical for the time of year, adding: "We've had changeable weather in the middle of winter in Britain. No-one can possibly be shocked at that."

But he warned the high rainfall was likely to be repeated in subsequent years, adding: "What we've seen in recent days is what we're predicting we'll see more of in future because of climate change."

Alarmingly, climate change caused by man-made pollution is likely to affect the weather for the next 1,000 years, according to the Met Office's Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research.

Recent rainfall figures are already causing concern - Met Office data from 180 UK observing sites for October and November 2002, compared with average rainfall figures from between 1961-1990, show rises ranging from 108 to 181 per cent.

Government information also confirms we are getting wetter.

Its Climate Impacts Programme (CIP) shows winters have become much wetter, relative to summers over the past 200 years.

CIP predicts flooding could become more common because winters are likely to get wetter and warns: "If levels of man-made pollution increase, the amount of change will increase, with winter precipitation in the south and east of England increasing by up to 30 per cent by the 2080s.

"Heavy winter precipitation, such as is currently experienced around once every two years, may become up to 20 per cent heavier if pollution levels rise."

And it's man-made pollution making flooding more common, according to environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth.

Roger Higman, a climate campaigner for the group, says: "Floods like we've been seeing across Britain are exactly the sort of natural disaster scientists say is getting more common as a result of man-made climate change. We are all likely to pay the cost. "We should all think how we can cut our use of fossil fuels as they are the main cause of climate change."

Friends of the Earth says man-made pollution can be reduced by people walking or taking public transport instead of using cars, flying less and saving energy at work and in the home.

But understandably, people whose homes have been flooded will be more bothered about cleaning up and sorting out insurance, than reducing the amount of fossil fuels they use.

The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) says local councils will help flood victims in the first instance, often running emergency telephone helplines and putting those affected in touch with other services such as emergency accommodation.

In addition, the Environment Agency operates Floodline which gives detailed information about flood warnings.

As far as on-the-spot action after a flood goes, CIRIA recommends that after pumping out standing water and drying the property out through central heating and good ventilation, flood victims should have any structural damage assessed by their insurance company.

Recent fears that people living in high-risk flooding areas could be left without insurance cover for flood damage have been allayed by the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

The concern stemmed from the fact that a two-year agreement under which insurers pledged to continue offering flood cover to all policyholders in flood risk areas ran out at the beginning of this month.

But the ABI has stressed the majority of the two million homes and businesses on flood plains will continue to be offered cover because they already have flood defences or will have by 2007.

A decision will not be made on cover for the remaining 200,000 properties until information about planned flood defences is received from the Environment Agency.

The Agency already spends £400 million a year on flood defences and the government is due to unveil a review of the funding this month.