County on floodwatch

Parts of Shropshire were on floodwatch today after heavy rain and melting snow began to take its toll.

Rising temperatures and rain has thawed much of the snow but in some areas the ground remains frozen beneath the surface, meaning excess water will run into rivers instead of being absorbed by the soil.

There are no flood warnings from The Environment Agency yet, but experts are keeping a close eye on the River Teme and the Rea and Cound Brooks.

More rain was expected today along with high winds, with tomorrow and Monday expected to be drier.

Residents and traders in a one flooding blackspot are bracing themselves for a deluge of surface water as the big thaw sets in. Flooding has caused havoc in Much Wenlock in the past few years.

The problem was especially bad in the High Street where flash floods are a major problem.

Operators of the town's flood management working group will be on high alert if the weekend's rains combine with thawing snow to cause problems.

But John Yeats, a spokesman for the group, forecast that Much Wenlock would probably escape the worst of the rain.

"We had a similar situation last year. Problems arise when the ground is too frozen to absorb all the water. Luckily we have not had too much snowfall," he said.

"However the weather system only needs to vary by a few degrees and it can all change. We need a rapid fall of about 20mm to cause major problems."

There are currently eight rainfall gauges located around the area - one in Brockton, one in Bourton, three in Much Wenlock and three in Farley.

There is also a town Weather Watch, Flood Watch and an emergency response group to advise residents on fitting flood defence products.

Much Wenlock Town Council also operates a group of volunteers who act as a first line of defence against flooding in the town.

Residents help by measuring rainfall, checking weather forecasts and being on standby to distribute sandbags.