The cost of repairing the damage from this weekend’s flood damage is likely to run into tens of millions of pounds, insurers warned today, as forecasters predicted more rain later this week.

Storms drenched parts of north-east England, Herefordshire, Yorkshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire over the weekend, claiming six lives.

The worst affected area was the town of Morpeth, in Northumberland, where 400 residents were evacuated and 1,000 properties damaged by floodwater.

The environment minister John Healey met residents and emergency services staff in…