The British Government has agreed to send troops into Somerset as ministers launched a late attempt to relieve stricken villages left devastated by floods amid fears of a further storm tomorrow.
Pressure has been mounting on Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, as his handling of the crisis was criticised after a visit to the area during which he was heckled by angry residents.
The announcement of likely military involvement came just hours after Prime Minister David Cameron said the severe flooding which hit swathes of Britain was "not acceptable" and preparations for dredging rivers must be speeded up.
After a meeting of the Cabinet Office's emergency Cobra committee, Paterson agreed to send in the army to help families hit by the flooding on the Somerset Levels.
"As we speak the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Local Government are discussing how we could deploy specialist vehicles which could help some of those villages which have been cut off and help people get fuel and food in and out, and help with transport from dry land," he said. "And there will also be help with sandbags."
