Shropshire counts the cost of flash-flooding

The county was the worst-hit area in the entire country yesterday, with 71mm (2.8ins) of rain falling in Pennerley, between Shrewsbury and Church Stretton, within a 24-hour period, which was the highest rainfall figure in England.

The region remained on flood alert today with forecasters predicting up to 15mm (0.6ins) of rain.

Some roads hit by flooding remain closed and rail passengers are also facing delays.

Passengers at Shrewsbury Railway Station faced delays of up to an hour today as Arriva Trains Wales services to Knighton and Hereford were disrupted due to flooding.

The Dorrington to Stapleton road and minor roads around Betton Strange were shut and motorists were urged to avoid crossing the ford in Boreton. Watling Street in Craven Arms was also shut.

The Battlefield Link Road in Shrewsbury remains closed and underwater today after a stretch under the railway bridge was transformed into a lake in just a couple of hours, causing massive tailbacks as motorists attempted to find alternative routes.

Shrewsbury motorist Keith Greatorex, from Greenfields, had a lucky escape after he drove into the flood water submerging his car.

He had to wade to safety in water that was waist-high, after his Vauxhall Astra Sport careered into the water yesterday afternoon.

His car and a recovery vehicle remained submerged on the link road today.

Mr Greatorex said: "I hit the water at about 30 to 40mph and I was in too deep before I could stop. I've never seen the flooding as bad as that. The car will be a write-off."

The road's closure continued to cause disruption for motorists today with major queues reported around the Tesco Extra and Matalan stores in Battlefield this morning.

Shrewsbury's Frankwell car park was also closed today and Environment Agency officials put up low level flood barriers on the site this morning.

Nationally, a river broke its banks today and started to flood a historic market town in Northumberland.

Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes in Morpeth before the River Wansbeck breached local flood defences.

More than 200 properties have been flooded across England and Wales since yesterday, the Environment Agency said.

The heavy rain and flooding have also caused major disruptions on railways and roads across the north of England and Wales, including the East Coast Mainline.

In Morpeth, large tree trunks and debris were being swept along by the river as it continued to rise.

About 90 residents from the Dawson Place area of the town were evacuated as a precaution, and a rest centre has been set up in the town hall. Police said they were working with the local authority to help those affected.

In Hebden Bridge, which has been hit by serious floods twice this summer, people have not been evacuated from their homes but waters were rising and the Environment Agency said it had teams and pumps on standby to tackle flooding.

East Coast trains said there was no service on the East Coast Main Line between York and Darlington because of flooding at Eryholme, near Northallerton, preventing the running of East Coast services between London and Scotland.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Our engineers are on site at several locations and are working to get lines reopened as soon as possible.

"Where lines remain closed, we are working with train operators to divert services where we can and alternative transport is also being provided – however flooding to roads in some areas is making this difficult."

In Shropshire yesterday, residents in Wellington Road, Donnington, Telford, were left trapped in their homes after drains overflowed, filling the street with up to 4ins (10cm) of water.

Peter Jones said: "The water's lifting up the drain cover and spurting 6ins into the air. It's running down the road and we can't get across the road. It's even deeper further down the road.

"Where it's coming out of the drain it's above the top of the kerb. When a vehicle comes down the road it's spraying over the top of 6ft fences."

In Much Wenlock, Shropshire Council engineers were called out to try and shift standing water on the junction of High Street and Bridgnorth Road.