Rain hits the Midlands - and there's more on the way

Sep 8 2008

THE  West Midlands has been warned to brace itself for further rain – but will escape the worst of the torrential downpours that are still to come, forecasters said yesterday.

More showers and flooding are set to hit parts of the country but forecasters MeteoGroup UK said the region had already experienced the worst of the severe weather over the weekend.

Last night parts of the West Midlands were still coping with the effects of the weekend’s torrential rain, which caused rivers to burst their banks, roads to flood and the evacuation of dozens of homes.

The emergency services reported a dramatic increase in the number of phone calls, with the fire service counting 400 on Saturday alone.

Two children and a pensioner were rescued from inside a house when a brook burst its bank, causing Woodman Road in Halesowen to flood on Saturday.

The water had reached a depth of 4ft (1.2m) when the three were rescued, West Midlands Fire Service said, and about 20 house in the road were evacuated.

A further 20 properties were evacuated in Oberon Close, Frankley, and in Bournbrook flooding made Bristol Road impassable and caused damage to six homes.

An 86-year-old man on a dialysis machine was rescued from Drayton Road in Frankley and a number of patients were evacuated from a brain injury unit in Bristol Road, Selly Oak, at about 4.50pm on Saturday.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “On arrival at the private brain injury unit, the ground floor was found to be flooded due to heavy rain. The evacuation of eight patients from the upper floor of the building was carried out by ambulance crews and the fire service. Patients were treated and cared for by ambulance crews and the fire service. A further four members of staff were also evacuated from the building.”

Numerous cars were abandoned and Birmingham City Council said demand for sandbags had outstripped supply.

But MeteoGroup UK said the region would see a vast improvement today although it forecast more rain for the rest of the week.

A spokesman said: “It’s not looking too bad with the chance of one or two light showers today. In general there will be areas of cloud, but there should be showers coming.

“Another depression is coming into Ireland on Tuesday, with thundery rain spreading across the country. This will clear by the afternoon but it will be quite windy with further showers. Wednesday is not looking too bad for central and southern parts of the country, with the north suffering the most.

“There will be a small chance of showers but it will be generally dryer on Thursday and it will be fairly breezy. By Friday, there will be a possibility of showery rain for a time, spreading from the west.

“Temperatures for the region will be on average 18C (64F), maybe squeezing 19C (66F) on Monday.”

Flood warnings have been put in place across Worcestershire and Herefordshire on the rivers Severn, Wye, Avon and Teme, the Environment Agency said.

The agency, which was last night continuing to monitor the river levels, said a warning was in place for the River Severn at Worcester and between Worcester and Tewskebury, including Upton-upon-Severn and Kempsey.

There were three warnings on the River Wye, at Hereford, Hay-on-Wye and Ross-on-Wye as river levels in Hereford peaked on Saturday to just under five metres (16ft).

Flood warnings were also in place on the River Avon last night from Evesham to Tewkesbury including Pershore and the River Teme around Tenbury Wells and Brandsford Bridge to Powick.

River levels in parts of Shropshire were not expected to peak until today. A flood warning was in force for the Severn, which is expected to peak at 4 metres (13ft) at Shrewsbury today.

Flood barriers are in place in the town and were being erected in Ironbridge yesterday afternoon. Police officers had to trace the owners of cars parked between the bridge and the Museum of the River so the barriers could be installed.

Rising water levels caused misery for farmers in Staffordshire as 100 sheep and 30 cows were left stranded.

Staffordshire Fire Service was called to a lake near Fisherwick Hall, Fisherwick Wood Lane, Whittington, in Lichfield at 2.45pm yesterday after receiving reports of the sheep marooned by 6ft of rising water.

Crews from Tamworth, Lichfield and Barton-under-Needwood, working with 12 RSPCA officials, rescued the animals using a boat, inflatable walkway and water rescue unit.

At the same time, crews from Stafford were called to the A513 between Shugborough and Wolseley Bridge after 30 cattle were stranded in a flooded field.