The fire service's biggest mobilisation since WWII is being undermined by shortages of equipment, staff and training, firefighters have claimed.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it was collating reports of problems from its members involved in huge numbers of rescues and wide-scale evacuations due to the floods.

The union said it was becoming clear that "serious budget restrictions" caused by cuts in central funding across the fire service were creating problems such as equipment shortages and inadequate training.