UK weather: Britain on flood alert as heavy rain threatens another deluge

Britain is set to be battered by torrential downpours and slow-moving thunderstorms this weekend with forecasters issuing severe weather warnings across the country.

The Met Office said heavy rain will set in on Friday, with flooding expected in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the adverse conditions likely to see roads cut off and misery for commuters.

Saturday will then see 60mph winds strike throughout England and Wales, while widespread showers also affecting Scotland and northern England.

The severe warnings have led to the Cornish musical festival Boardmasters being cancelled with just 12 hours’ notice.

The three-day event, which was set to host 50,000 music fans, had boasted acts such as the Wu-Tang Clan and Florence And The Machine but was scrapped as a result of strong winds expected on the south-west coast.

Strong winds and downpours are likely to see motorists and train users affected, with the Met Office warning of fallen trees on railways and flooded roads becoming impassable in rural areas. 

The Met Office said heavy rain will set in on Friday, with flooding expected in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Saturday will then see 60mph winds strike throughout England and Wales, while widespread showers also affecting Scotland

On Friday (shown), downpours are likely to see motorists and train users affected, with the Met Office warning of fallen trees on railways and flooded roads becoming impassable in rural areas

Britain is set to be battered by torrential downpours and slow-moving thunderstorms this weekend with forecasters issuing severe weather warnings across the country

The Met Office’s rain alert for Friday, states: ‘A band of heavy rain, with the possibility of some very heavy bursts, will move northwards during Thursday night and Friday.

‘Within this band 10-15mm is widely expected, however some places could see as much as 30 mm in just a few hours.

‘Once the rain has cleared scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop, particularly during Friday.

‘Many places will miss these, but where they do occur 10-20mm is possible in one hour, with perhaps 30mm in a few hours.’

Meanwhile, a similar warning for Saturday states: ‘Unseasonably strong southwesterly winds are expected to cause some disruption, with gusts over 40 mph quite widely inland.

‘Gusts over 50 mph are possible across parts of central and south-eastern England, particularly in association with showers.

‘Gusts in excess of 60 mph are likely around coasts of Bristol Channel, English Channel and through the Strait of Dover.’

The severe warnings have led to the Cornish musical festival Boardmasters being cancelled with just 12 hours’ notice (shown is winds building up on the south-west coast today) 

‘Driven six hours, 270 miles, booked a hotel to wake up to it being cancelled’: More than 50,000 music fans are left fuming after Boardmasters festival is axed 12 hours before it was due to start because of storm fears

Disgruntled festival goers have lashed out at the organisers of Cornish musical festival Boardmasters after it was cancelled with just 12 hours’ notice.

The three-day event which was set to host 50,000 music fans had boasted headline acts such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Florence And The Machine and Foals, was scrapped due to warnings of severe weather conditions.

Revellers took to social media as they slammed Boardmasters for allowing many of them to travel part of the way before pulling the plug on the event after the Met Office warned of wild weather, including heavy rain and high winds.

One fan said she had ‘driven six hours and 270 miles to find it had been cancelled’ while another he had spent 13 hours on a coach.

Festival goers wait at the Newquay Train Station in Cornwall as they try to get home after the 2019 Boardmasters festival near Newquay, Cornwall, was cancelled due to a severe weather forecast

People arriving at Newquay Station today looked devastated that they had travelled such a long way only to be told the festival was cancelled 

Workers were seen at the site today moving fencing away from the VIP, media and guest list tents 

One music lover had taken the bus from Surrey (Andy left) and was told two hours into his journey that it had been cancelled (right the empty festival site)

Yasmine Fletcher said she had driven six hours and booked a hotel to find out the festival was cancelled