The flood chaos across Scotland was a stark warning of the threat of climate change, according to Oxfam Scotland.

Last week's floods wrecked around 40 businesses in Dumfries and left one couple in the village of Moniaive, Dumfries and Galloway, stranded in a van for three hours.

The worst floods in the area for decades have left families and businesses counting the cost and trying to rebuild their lives after a month's rain fell in just 24 hours.

At its worst, the water was over four feet deep and residents and businesses on Dumfries streets were helpless against the raging floods.

In the wake of the floods, Prof. James Curran of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) said that all weather is now linked to climate change caused by man.

Prof. Curran said:

"Globally the temperature has risen by almost one degree celsius over the past century so that actually means there is no natural weather left. The weather outside your window at the moment is man-made and we don't seem to be doing a very good job of it, do we?"

The Met Office said in a statement released this week that even small temperature rises have led to heavier daily rainfall in the UK, which could in turn cause local flooding.

The floods happened just a few weeks before The Wave - Scotland's biggest ever demonstration in support of action on climate change - and Oxfam Scotland is calling it a timely reminder of the urgent need for world leaders to take action on climate change.

Malcolm Fleming, Oxfam Scotland's Campaigns Manager, said:

"When we talk about climate change, people often automatically think it only affects far flung places. But these floods right on our doorstep are a stark warning that we are all in danger of feeling the full effects.

"Met Office experts predict that by the year 2080, Scotland's winters could be 24 per cent wetter and that sea levels could rise by over 30cm.

"Poorer countries in developing parts of the world are even more seriously affected and they are the least responsible for causing climate change.

"We are calling on the people of Scotland to attend The Wave in Glasgow on Saturday, December 5, where thousands of people will send a message to world leaders that urgent action on climate change is vital."

While two feet of water caused chaos in Dumfries town centre, a couple in nearby Moniaive feared for their lives as their van became stranded in a flood four feet deep.

They were stuck for hours before a fire engine from Annan eventually arrived at the scene but was forced to wait some distance away because of the rising waters. Firefighters eventually managed to reach the couple and rescue them by dinghy.

In Dumfries, the Cats Protection charity shop on Friar's Vennel was decimated by the floods. Every piece of stock in the shop was lost and the clean-up efforts are unlikely to be completed before Christmas.