Malmesbury residents hit by flooding on Christmas Eve following heavy storms are enjoying a welcome respite from torrential rain today but some await Sunday’s forecast with dread.

The Met Office is reporting mainly dry weather in Malmesbury from this evening until Sunday, when another outbreak of rain is expected, at times heavy.

Mayor John Gundry, who was out in the early hours of Christmas Eve helping people to move their cars out of the way of flood water and handing out gel sacs to householders at risk of flooding, is reminding people to sign up for flood warnings from the Environment Agency.

He said this morning: “It’s amazing to say but the river doesn’t look too high. We slept soundly in our beds last night.

“The waves of weather systems coming in translate as waves of worry for the town. Early morning on Christmas Eve wasn’t much fun and there is no cause for complacency.

“But a lot of people have accepted it and are just grateful. There was a lot of surface water on the Mead yesterday which seems to have cleared today.

“We await Sunday night now. Hopefully people will have signed up for the warning system, it is essential for people to do that.”

A flood warning from Wednesday night remains in place for the River Avon from downstream of Malmesbury to upstream of Melksham, not including Chippenham. But there have been no warnings for the Sherston Avon and Tetbury Avon at Malmesbury since Christmas Day.

Sign up for flood warnings at https://fwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/app/olr/register or call the Floodline on 0845 988 1188.