Flood-damaged areas in Britain were spared more chaos today after heavy overnight rain failed to cause new flooding and forecasters predicted better weather.
Police in Gloucestershire, one of the worst affected counties, had warned people to stay at home on last night or risk becoming stranded.
But the Met Office said that only 10mm of rain fell in the region, far less than expected, sparing towns already suffering from the worst flooding in 60 years.
"Like many people today, I am quite relieved, hopefully, that we are going to get a bit of respite from this weather," Communities Secretary Hazel Blears told BBC television.
"The people who have been through such a terrible time in the last few weeks now have a chance, hopefully, to dry out and recover from the devastating floods that we have had."
A Met Office spokesman said the worst of the rain had moved away and the next few days should see warmer weather, sunny spells and brisk winds.
The wettest summer since records began has brought two bouts of flooding to parts of England, killing at least nine people, damaging houses and destroying crops. A man's body was found in a flooded field yesterday near the market town of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Insurers estimate the flood damage at about £3 billion.
More than 130,000 homes are relying on bottled water and emergency water tanks on the streets after the floods forced the closure of a water treatment plant.
Police increased patrols around emergency tanks after some were vandalised. The head of the Environment Agency, Baroness Young, said water bills would have to rise to pay for the protection of towns and cities from the unpredictable weather.