WEATHER LATEST: Heavy rain and high winds for Plymouth this weekend

STEADY rain falling in Plymouth through the night left pools of standing water but no reports of major flooding.

According to the BBC there was deep water on both carriageways of the A38 near Ivybridge.

Police were checking it out and we will bring you the latest report when they have.

By 9.30am today none of Plymouth’s fire stations had dealt with flooding.

First Great Western’s mainline services were operating as normal after weeks of disruption between Exeter and Tiverton.

However, services between Liskeard and Looe remained suspended in both directions with limited road transport operating, which is not calling at intermediate stations.

Damage to a railway bridge by earlier flooding in the Lympstone area has hit services between Exeter St Davids and Exmouth.

Passengers will be taken by road between Topsham and Exmouth.

Services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple are also going by road.

These services will remain disrupted until after the New Year.

The Met Office in Exeter was forecasting that the rain would move away eastward later today, with the possibility of some sunshine later in the day.

The Environment Agency issued a flood warning for the River Dart from Buckfastleigh to Totnes, and flood alerts on the rivers Avon, Erm, Tavy, Tamar, Looe, Seaton, Lynher, Plym, Yealm and Tory Brook.

The Met Office said 40mm of rain was set to fall across the city today with more to come tomorrow and Monday, raising fears that saturated ground and high river levels could lead to more damage and disruption.

High winds mean there are restrictions on the Tamar Bridge this morning. There are also a number of trees down across Devon.

There is also standing water on the A38 at Ivybridge.

A yellow warning of heavy rain is in place across Plymouth and the south west for today, tomorrow and Monday.

A Met Office spokesman said: “A spell of wet and very windy weather will affect the whole of the UK during Saturday.

“Western regions can then expect a period of persistent, heavy rain over high ground and the public should be aware of possible disruption due to localised flooding.”

Yesterday afternoon there were 77 flood warnings – meaning immediate action is required – and 187 flood alerts – meaning be prepared – in place across England and Wales.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We are in a period of relative calm but the forecast suggests there is more bad weather on the way.

“Where required we have operational staff out working and monitoring the situation, so we are on the case 24/7.”

One property affected by flooding was Devon Air Ambulance Trust’s shop in Kingsbridge.

The shop will need to be gutted and completely re-fitted after it was filled with water on December 23.

Yesterday The Herald reported that this year is set to become the wettest on record in the UK.

Provisional figures show that just 1.8in, or 46mm, of rain is needed before New Year’s Eve for 2012 to be the wettest year since records began, with 43.1in, or 1,095mm, having already fallen since January 1.

Train passengers are expected to experience continued disruption across the rail network over the next few days after the main railway line in and out of the region was washed out over Christmas.

However, services between Plymouth and Penzance were yesterday back on schedule, and a stretch of track that had been shut between Exeter and Tiverton was also finally reopened. Meanwhile, bus operator National Express said it had added extra vehicles to keep people moving over the New Year period.