Shropshire Star

Flood warnings remain on rivers in Shropshire as water's peak moves down the Severn

A dozen flood warnings remain on Shropshire's rivers, with a further nine flood alerts in place.

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The current peak of the river levels on the Severn in the county is in Bridgnorth, with the predicted peak between 4.9 to 5.1 metres on Friday morning.

Quatford Caravan Park was expected to be one of the areas hit by the flooding.

Further upstream, levels are dropping on the Severn, and in Shrewsbury Shropshire Council says Coleham Head is now open to traffic.

However Longden Coleham remains closed, with the mopping up of properties underway.

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The red flood warnings in Shropshire - meaning flooding is expected - are for: Bridgnorth; Hampton Loade and Highley; Sutton Wharf; Ironbridge and Jackfield; Quatford; Shrewsbury; The Showground and the Quarry, Shrewsbury; The Wharfage, Ironbridge; Upper Arley; River Vyrnwy, Maesbrook; River Vyrnwy, Melverley.

There are flood alerts - meaning flooding is possible - for : Lower Teme; River Lugg North of Leominster; River Worfe; Severn Vyrnwy confluence; Tern and Perry catchments; Upper Teme.

Across the Powys border there are flood alerts on the Vyrnwy catchment and the Lower Severn catchment.

Ron Targett helps Mark Preece get to his business in Shrewsbury

Shropshire Council says Shrewsbury Bus Station will remain closed on Friday,with many roads into Shrewsbury town centre also closed.

Audiences for Thursday evening’s pantomime performance at Theatre Severn used a shuttle bus to and from Theatre Severn from the Oxon Park and Ride site.

Shropshire Council said: "Flood barriers remain in place in Frankwell, Shrewsbury, and will remain until further notice. River levels continue to be high; but the indication is that, as the peaks pass, they will recede gradually."

Across the UK, flooding continues to cause problems after a spate of storms.

Nottinghamshire County Council declared a major incident on Thursday due to rising levels along the River Trent and Radcliffe Residential Park, an estate of static caravans for the over-55s just to the east of the city, were evacuated.

Caroline Douglass, the Environment Agency's flood director, said the Trent was at "some of the highest levels we've seen in 24 years".

An evacuation centre was set up in the nearby village Walton Cardiff while people living on Alney Island, between two branches of the River Severn, in nearby Gloucester were urged to leave their homes overnight for a nearby leisure centre.

In east London, around 50 people were led to safety by firefighters overnight after a canal burst its banks in Hackney Wick, causing flooding in an area of around 10 acres.

Cows drowned in the village of Sawley, Derbyshire, prompting an animal welfare investigation.

Train companies have also been affected by the deluge, with Great Western Railway warning that several lines remain closed due to flooding, including between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, Reading and Castle Cary, and Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall.

A landslip at Arlesey in Bedfordshire was also affecting Thameslink services.