The great mopping up operation began in Shropshire and Mid Wales today after eight days of flooding misery and disruption.

River levels were dropping steadily and although a flood warning remained in place for the Severn in Shropshire, the severe warning for Shrewsbury has been downgraded.

But several roads throughout the area remained closed and treacherous because of flood water.

Three adults and a two-month-old girl were rescued by firefighters after their BMW car got stuck in Buildwas Road, Ironbridge, just after 3.30pm yesterday.

Sub officer Andy Blizard, from Tweedale Fire Station, said: “Their engine had given out as they tried to drive through floodwaters and water had started to seep into the vehicle.

“We led two men to safety and we carried the baby and then her mother to safety.”

Shropshire Star weatherman John Warner said the risk of further floods was fast receding as the weather was drying up and the county would finally see a bit of sun.

He said tomorrow would be sunny, Friday would be dry but very windy, with gusts up to 50mph, while the weekend would see cloudy conditions and sunny spells.

Temperatures would rise to an exceptionally mild 13C (55F) on Saturday.

Today, flood barriers were still up in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge, with commuters facing problems in the county town where both Frankwell and St Julian’s Friars car parks remained closed. The Raven Meadows multi-storey has reopened.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said it was likely the barriers in both Shrewsbury and Ironbridge would remain up for the next few days, although temporary barriers at Longden Coleham, Shrewsbury, were taken down yesterday.

“The flood peak is now past Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth and heading towards Bewdley,” he added.

He said a severe flood warning was still in place for further down the River Severn from Upper Arley to Bevere.

The floods had not been as bad as in 2000, but slightly worse than 2004, he said.

The river peaked at 4.6m (15ft) in Shrewsbury, 6.1m (20ft) in Ironbridge and 4.8m (15.7ft) in Bridgnorth.

Roads in the Shrewsbury area still closed today included Gravel Hill Lane, Sydney Avenue, Victoria Avenue, Coleham Head, Berwick Road, Old Coleham, the Cross Houses to Atcham Road, Chilton Farm Lane in Atcham and the B4380 Cressage to Eaton Constantine.

By Peter Johnson