'It's time to take action': Call on Bridgnorth flooding
Benches were floating through the town, bins have littered the sodden streets and residents have been left stranded to battle floodwater with little help as Bridgnorth experienced its worst flooding in nearly 20 years.
Houses, businesses and public spaces have been washed out and the emergency services have been rescuing people from their homes.
While Ironbridge, Shrewsbury and Bewdley have multi-million pound flood defences in place, Bridgnorth has been left to ride the wave and residents are criticising the lack of action taken to prevent the imminent damage.
The town's mayor, Councillor Ron Whittle, who also represents East ward, said it is time the Environment Agency took action.
"As far as I'm aware Bridgnorth hasn't got any flood protocols and maybe that's something the Environment Agency need to look at.
"The council has no roll in flood plans and when it rains like this there's not a lot we can do.
"Shrewsbury, Bewdley, Ironbridge and Worcester have flood barriers when Bridgnorth has none and the council doesn't know why.
"Whether there's a specific reason why they haven't done anything in Bridgnorth I don't know but no work of mitigation has been carried out.
"Personally I think it's time they took a careful look at Bridgnorth.
"They've done these other towns and I know they can't do everything at once but other flood barriers have been in place for several years now and it's about time they did something about it in Bridgnorth."
As the river level peaked at 4.72m on Tuesday, the fire service conducted a number of rescue missions around the town, including at Severn Caravan Park where residents had become stranded in their homes.
The town's rowing club, rugby club and pitches, Severn Park, bowls club and a number of homes and businesses were flooded and are expected to remain waterlogged for a number of days.
Sally Themans, of the Love Bridgnorth campaign, said the town has been left "confused" over the lack of action.
"It's one of those natural paradoxes. It's a beautiful, crisp, sunny day in Bridgnorth and then you look towards the river and it's chaos," she said.
"Unfortunately when the river floods it picks up quite a lot of debris on the way. Some of the bins have been emptied, we've had picnic benches floating down the river – there's going to be quite a mess.
"On the east side of the river, about seven houses down there will almost certainly be flooded and the rowing club and the rugby club are now deep underwater.
"It's expensive, it makes such a mess and it's such a clearing up operation.
"On the other side of the river, High Town side, the road is blocked and there are residents stranded. There's also some low-lying businesses that will be underwater.
"Residents have said they used to get sandbags delivered and there are diversions that can be put in place to allow residents to get out but that doesn't seem to have happened this year so they're feeling a bit fed up.
"There hasn't been much help or support for residents that have been flooded.
"We don't have flood barriers and we don't as far as I know really have a flood plan these days.
"Somebody from the Environment Agency may say there is but having spoke to residents they say it's all rather confusing."
Members from the Environment Agency attended Bridgnorth as river levels peaked on Tuesday to offer some help to homes on the verge of flooding.
Ms Themans added: "There used to be flood diversions put in place, sandbags delivered, a well communicated plan but that doesn't seem to be happening now."
