Oxford could be facing further floods in the coming months, with soils left saturated by heavy summer downpours, experts in the county warned.

The Environment Agency has given "enhanced flood warnings" across England and Wales because massive amounts of water stored underground following the recent deluges could overflow if further heavy rain falls.

But with the approaching winter months, the danger of more flooding could persist through to next year, according to Terry Marsh, of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, at Wallingford.

He said: "If we have a very dry autumn, soils could dry out, but typically, with average rainfall, we can expect an enhanced flood risk all throughout autumn and winter.

"Soils have been the wettest since records began in 1961. The rainfall that flooded Tewkesbury was exceptional - you would expect to see that sort of thing maybe once every thousand years."

Oxford, as well as towns and villages, were hit by flooding following stormy showers a few weeks ago.

With no monsoon and little seasonal variation in rainfall, summer rainfall levels in the UK are comparable to winter. The Environment Agency said it was "worried" about land in the North, Wales, Midlands and South West, after rain in July and August filled aquifers across the regions, and normally drier summer water levels were already high in the run-up to autumn.