Warning of floods in Shropshire

RIVERS ACROSS Shropshire and Mid Wales were on flood alert today as events were cancelled after more than an inch of rain fell in just 24 hours.

The region was today on a ‘yellow warning’ with the Met Office forecasting more heavy rain today and tomorrow.

Flood alerts have been issued for the upper River Severn in Powys, the Rivers Tern, Teme, Onny, Corve, Perry, Roden, Strine and Meese, the River Lugg, the Rea Brook and Cound Brook and the Severn-Vyrnwy confluence.

Yesterday more than a fortnight’s rain fell in less than 24 hours causing flash flooding, hazardous driving and leading to events being cancelled at waterlogged sites.

The Met Office said by midnight yesterday 36.6mm (1.44 ins) of rain had fallen at Shawbury in just 24 hours.

A spokeswoman said Shropshire residents should ‘be prepared’ for surface water flooding and some travel disruption as ‘potentially prolonged heavy showers’ were forecast today.

Craig Woolhouse, the Environment Agency’s head of flood incident management, said: “We would ask people to stay away from flood water, and do not walk or drive through it.

Firefighters from Ludlow spent an hour pumping water at an address in Clee Hill.

Shropshire Sings at the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury last night was cancelled and today’s Sounds in The Square in Wellington is also off, but the Camper Jam at Weston Park was continuing.

Organisers of Ludlow Festival said they were ‘devastated’ after cancelling Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing last night. And thousands of motor racing fans were told to stay away from the F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.