Bridgnorth 'preparing for the worst' amid Storm Franklin with river set to keep rising
A town in Shropshire is 'bracing for the worst' as rising river levels exacerbated by Storm Franklin are met with flood defences.
Flood warnings are in place for Bridgnorth, forecasting that river levels will continue to rise at the river gauge as a result of persistent rainfall.
The predicted peak at Bridgnorth is expected to be 5 to 5.5 metres on Wednesday – the highest level recorded at this measuring station was recorded at 5.26 metres on November 2000.
Ian Wellings, Bridgnorth Town Councillor, is a lead member of the working group to help deal with flooding in the town.
Mr Wellings, who helped set up the working party to deal with the floods, which Bridgnorth has now suffered for three years, said they were bracing themselves for the worst.
He said: "We tried to help people yesterday as much as we can with sandbags and things like that but if the flooding reaches the levels of the last two years up, towards six metres, then people are going to suffer, particularly those in Severn Terrace which is likely to get covered again.
"We liaise and try to work with the national flood forum but they are going to be inundated at the moment and again there is only so much they can do.
"Like it or not Bridgnorth is a smaller town and the likes of Shrewsbury and Worcester will take priority or have more resources and people to deal with the flooding.
"I agree there are more people in those places but to me, if one person suffers the misery of flooding and flood water coming into their home it is one person too many.
"It needs something done on a permanent basis to prevent the flooding from happening but I'm not sure what that is."
Flooding is expected to affect properties on Severnside, Severn Terrace, Riverside and local caravan parks.
Peter Williams at Halfway House Inn and Touring Caravan Park, Cleobury Road, Bridgnorth, has not really been affected by flooding, but has experienced high winds.
He said: "The gusts were the highest I have ever known on Sunday and it has blown a lot of the fencing down.
"We will have to wait until the wind drops to get it repaired but it has caused quite a bit of damage.
"We don't really get affected by the flooding from the river in this spot, it is more the water coming in from the surrounding fields - but it has certainly been wet and we are expecting more rain over the coming days."
