Shropshire drivers caught up in floods and gales

Flood barriers are due to go back up in Ironbridge tomorrow morning and both Frankwell car parks in Shrewsbury were expected to be closed from this evening as forecasters warned there was no end in sight – with up to three inches of rain expected to fall in the next four days.

Motorists were faced with floods, falling trees and strong cross winds as the latest winter storm passed over the region.

The A49 between Shrewsbury and Ludlow was blocked last night by up to a foot of water, forcing police to divert traffic between Station Road and Church Road.

At Leebotwood eight miles of the carriageway between Dorrington and Church Stretton had to be closed due to flooding during the rush hour, although the road reopened later.

The A49 was also flooded at Marshbrook, near Church Stretton, with Highways Agency crews deployed to unblock drains.

In south Shropshire a man was rescued by fire crews after getting stuck in his car while attempting to drive through flood waters near Ludlow racecourse. Another motorist was rescued by fire crews after his vehicle became trapped in flood water on the A488 in Acton, near Clun. The road was then closed by the police to prevent any further vehicles getting trapped.

Martin Timmis, of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, today warned: "Driving through flood water is dangerous. It is difficult to tell exactly how deep the water is and obstacles will be hidden, there is no guarantee that there are not uncovered manholes.

"Just one foot of flowing water may be enough to move the average family car."

All trains between Shrewsbury and Llandrindod were cancelled today because of a landslide in Knighton, Mid Wales. The track will not be reopened until tomorrow.

Trains were also cancelled yesterday because of flooding between Newtown and Shrewsbury, but were running again today.

Flood alerts today remained in place on the River Severn through Shropshire, as well as the Upper Severn in Powys, Upper Teme, Lower Teme, the River Lugg north of Leominster, Ledwyche Brook and the River Rea, Rea Brook and Cound Brook.

Flood barriers will remain up in Shrewsbury for the foreseeable future, meaning Frankwell car park will remain closed. The situation in Ironbridge and Ledwardine was today under review.

Jennie Cole, who lives in Hopesay near Craven Arms, watched as a stream in her garden burst its banks.

Mrs Cole said: "This flooding is the worst I have known since 2007. The stream burst its banks around lunchtime."

Chris Bainger from the Environment Agency said more than two inches of rainfall fell in upland areas of Shropshire last night and areas of the River Severn were rising quickly.

Meanwhile many residents were left hoping their homes would not be flooded.

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The Environment Agency today said the intensity of the deluges was unprecedented and there was no end in sight.

Gale force winds have brought extensive flooding to parts of the region and, nationwide, dramatic images of the destructive power of nature have emerged.

A stretch of railway track in Dawlish, Devon, has already been destroyed. The track has been left hanging in mid-air after tons of concrete were washed away.

Experts say the line will be closed for at least six weeks – and warned the damage could yet get worse.

Across the south coast and Wales, waves crashed into defences, sending spray 100 feet into the air. Police warned people to stay away from seafronts due to the danger of being swept away or struck by debris.

One ship in South West France ran into a jetty, leading to a dramatic rescue operation in turbulent seas.

Shropshire and Mid Wales were hit by localised flooding, disrupting rail services and making driving difficult. A number of trees fell as winds of up to 40mph combined with sodden ground to make them unstable. To make matters worse, a water main burst in Oswestry, sending spray shooting into the air.

Although there was some good news after it emerged a road in Whitchurch has reopened after being closed for more than a week because of flooding.

Workmen have been unblocking drains and pumping water from under a railway bridge on the B5398 Waymills .

Chris Bainger of the Environment Agency said more than two inches of rainfall fell in upland areas of Shropshire last night alone.

He said areas of the River Severn were rising quite quickly and the agency was also closely monitoring the River Vyrnwy, in Powys.

"Further bouts of rain are expected and it's lining up along the Atlantic through the jet stream, so we're not going to get much respite," he said.

"What's happening is we're seeing these deluges following each other, so we are just maintaining the water levels. The barriers in Shrewsbury are up and we'll be leaving them up. We're not sure about Ironbridge or Ledwardine. It's a very hard situation."

Mr Bainger said the Environment Agency was working extremely hard following a 45th straight day of events.

He said: "Staff are working 24/7 putting barriers up and clearing ditches. We've never seen anything like this before over such a length of time."

Mr Bainger warned of the dangers posed by small rivers, which he said could be extremely reactive to such weather. He said there were also many fords in the Shropshire area and even local people using four-by-four vehicles needed to be careful.

"You just do not know the speed of the water. If there's 30 centimetres of water a car will start to float," he said.

"We're keen to send that message out as we'll be seeing a lot more water on the roads. We would urge people not to drive through standing water."

There was fresh misery for people living in the Somerset Levels today, where two severe flood warnings remain in place, signifying a danger to life.

The Environment Agency said the first warning affects the Salt Moor and North Moor while the second is in place on the A361 between east Lyng and Burrowbridge, including the Somerset Levels Basket and craft Centre Area.

Many flood-hit homes on the Somerset levels have already been evacuated, and further rainfall raises the prospect of more residents having to leave their houses.

High winds are expected to lash the English Channel tonight into tomorrow, potentially causing disruption to ferry crossing routes.

And there is little respite from the turbulent weather as, after a brief spell of sunshine tomorrow morning, fresh storms are set to hit.

A weather system developing off the Atlantic will sweep into Britain bringing up to 1.2 inches of rain overnight tomorrow and into Saturday.

Severe gale force winds of up to 80mph are expected to hit southern Britain which could topple trees and cause more damage to the beleaguered region.

Met Office forecaster Kirk Waite said: "The real thing with the second system is the strength of the winds.

"Once the initial band of rain comes in you are going to see severe gales that could bring potential issues with a risk of trees falling."