A farmer under fire for driving his tractor through a flooded market town, unleashing a damaging wave, was rushing to get to a child, friends have said.

The swell crashed through windows and doors of businesses in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire after the River Teme burst its banks during Bert on Sunday, sending water into the town.

A friend of the tractor driver, said to be a 57-year-old local landowner, issued an apology on his behalf on social media, while others said he 'did something without thinking'.

It comes as yet more heavy rain due to hit the South overnight and into Wednesday morning from a storm passing through the English Channel brought warnings of flooding in already sodden areas.

The weather system was on Tuesday night named Storm Conall by Dutch meteorologists who predicted it would batter the Netherlands with high winds and rain.

In Tenbury, business owners yesterday claimed the wave allegedly unleashed by the tractor reached '11 to 12 feet' high.

Darren Pugh, who runs a jewellery shop in Tenbury with his wife Carol, said he came 'very close' to being swept away.

He said he was stood waiting to be picked up by a fire service boat and taken to his shop when 'the tractor approached and it sent a wave much higher than the front of my shop premise, at least 11, 12 feet up the front of the Crow Inn and pushed all the front doorway in'.

'I climbed the trellis on the bridge to get out of the way because the wave would have pushed me into the brook.'

Milo and Bridie Jackson, of Unwined Tapas Restaurant and Bar, said their business had been 'utterly devastated'.

Mr Jackson said: 'The tractor bow wave destroyed our entrance Christmas garland which was up to 1.2 metres (4ft), showing how high the wave was as it hit the restaurant.

'We are a family business and we've all been here working flat out for two days (to clear up) - the family, our wonderful staff and friends.'

Paul Birkin, owner of the Crow Inn, said: 'Nothing would have happened to the pub if it wasn't for the tractor. There wasn't a drop of water in here until he drove through.

'The locked front doors of the pub were pushed open and smashed, along with the windows next to it, with the wave of water knocking sandbags across the room.

'Yes, the floods are terrible, we are used to that, we prepare the best we can. But nothing could prepare you for what that person did with the tractor. It was totally unnecessary.'

West Mercia Police said on Tuesday that a man had been arrested before being bailed on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving.

Shortly after, an apology was posted on the Tenbury Wells Matters group by one of its co-administrators, property developer Simon Ham.

Mr Ham wrote: 'I have been asked to pass on a message of apology from the driver of the tractor.

'The tractor was being taken to an employee so he could use it to get through the rising floodwaters to collect his child. In his rush to get it to his member of staff, he realised too late that he drove faster than he should have, and didn't consider the impact on surrounding buildings.

'He is deeply sorry for the upset and damage caused. He has spoken with police and his insurance company and will do whatever is necessary to put things right.'

A neighbour of the farmer said he 'didn't mean for this to happen - he should have gone around the town rather through it'.

Another of employee working at the farm, in a hamlet outside Tenbury Wells, said: 'He's got a heart of gold. He's not a bad person at all. He just did something without thinking.'

Yesterday, over 200 flood warnings and alerts remained in place across England after Storm Bert brought nearly a month's rain in less than two days and five people died in weather-related incidents.

A severe flood warning in place continued to cover to Billings Aquadrome holiday park beside the River Nene, Northamptonshire. Residents were last night set to spend a third night away from home.

New weather warnings were issued from 10pm last night until noon on Wednesday.

Up to two inches of rain was due to fall by lunchtime today, hitting areas including Wiltshire and Dorset, where flood alerts were still in force last night after Storm Bert.

A Meteorological Office warning predicted 'spells of rain, heavy in places, likely to lead to some disruption', including 'flooding of a few homes and businesses'.

The warning covers Devon, then all southern areas from Dorset and Wiltshire through to Essex. The heaviest of the rain is set to fall in the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent.

Forecasters added: 'Given recent wet weather, some disruption to travel and infrastructure is likely.'