Floods recovery minister John Healey promised affected families they had not been forgotten as he praised local authorities and insurance firms for the work they have done following the deluges which hit many parts of England in June and July.

But he also said the remaining affected householders were becoming frustrated about the pace of repairs to their homes.

Mr Healy said the number of households living in caravans had fallen by more than 40% between March and the end of April - down from 2,400 to 1,429.

But he said about 5,650 households are not fully back in their homes.

The minister also said about one in eight of these households do not have insurance.

According to the new figures, the areas with the most households still displaced are Hull (1,989 at least partly out of their homes and 641 in caravans), the East Riding of Yorkshire (1,109 and 323) and Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, (388 and 114).

Mr Healey described the response to the floods - which saw 48,000 homes affected - as one of the biggest operations since the Second World War.

He said the total Government support to date for flood-hit communities was £118 million.

Mr Healey is due to visit families still living in caravans in the village of Toll Bar, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, as well as those who have moved back into their refurbished homes.