Cornwall has been bracing itself against strong winds and heavy rain combined with high tides this weekend.

The entire county was put under a state of “danger to life” by the Environment Agency, which issued a severe flood warning.

Unsurprisingly, it is coastal areas that have been the worst hit.

This includes St Ives, where a wave crashed through a window of a home in Seaview Place yesterday evening, just before 6pm yesterday.

Fire crew from St Ives battled to pump approximately one foot of water from the house, while ambulance personnel treated an occupant, who had been injured. In Perranporth firefighters from the town and also Newquay spent much of the day pumping floodwater away from homes.

They were first called to a flooded restaurant in Beach Road just after 6.30am.

The firefighters were still in the same road at 5.40pm, pumping water from houses near to the sea front and helping where they could.

At St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly a tidal surge caused the sea defences to be washed away, although there was no damage to homes.

Temporary repairs have been made until a more permanent repair can take place.

Devon and Cornwall Police has appealed to motorists in the force area to drive carefully and be aware of any hazards that might be caused by weather related road conditions.

Road conditions are mixed, with some roads experiencing surface water and others icy conditions.

A police spokesperson said: “We are issuing general advice to the public to take note of their local road conditions and drive accordingly. That may mean reducing speed and taking a little longer to arrive at their destination. In some places, conditions may be slippery.”

It was not just water that was causing problems, however.

High winds caused a sign in Trevenson Road, Camborne, to become dangerous.

Fire fighters were called to lower the sign, after it was deemed to be a danger to the public.

Much of the county is now enjoying some sunshine, although authorities continue to monitor the situation in coastal areas - particularly at the next high tide.