Forecasters predict savage weekend for Britain as further deluges are set to hit saturated towns and villages causing more flooding
- Wallington, Hampshire, in danger from cracks in River Wallington flood wall
- Coaches were at the ready to evacuate residents but only three villagers decided to leave, the local council said
- A consignment of sandbags arrived in the village tonight to shore up the cracked river wall
- More than 50 flood warnings and over 200 flood alerts issued across England and Wales by the Environment Agency
- Swathes of southern and south-western England, the Midlands, the north-east of England and south-east Wales all at risk
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Britain was bracing itself for more flooding tonight after up to three inches of rain fell over the past two days - with more forecast for the weekend.
More than 80 households were ordered to be evacuated after cracks were discovered in flood defences protecting the Hampshire village of Wallington, where a severe flood warning was issued earlier today.
Over 50 flood warnings and more than 200 flood alerts are currently in place across England and Wales, with large areas of southern and south-western England, south-east Wales, the Midlands and the north-east all under threat.
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Windswept: Waves crash against the sea wall at Seaham Harbour in County Durham
Defiant: A postman continues on his round despite the sodden conditions in Brokenhurst, Hampshire
In danger: Villagers (left) leave Wallington, Hampshire, as emergency services (right) monitor the river after cracks appeared in a flood wall
Making waves: Vehicles drive through floodwater this morning on a road in Southampton, Hampshire
Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West and East Sussex, south east Wales, Northamptonshire and North Yorkshire were particularly at risk, the Environment Agency said.
River levels on the River Cober in Helston, Cornwall, are high after persistent rain yesterday, while the Dolphins River Park in Charmouth, west Dorset, is under threat from the River Char.
The River Wey in Weymouth, Dorset, was also rising, and the Somerset Levels face risk of flooding due to heavy rainfall of up to 20mm over last night on already saturated ground.
Flood defences were put up today in the riverside town of Bewdley in Worcestershire, on the banks of the Severn, and at Upton-upon-Severn existing flood barriers were being monitored as the river rose steadily.
TOP TEN RAINFALL AREAS IN UK
Highest rainfall totals from 00:00 yesterday to 10:00 today recorded by Met Office
- Plymouth, Mount Batten, Devon 2.2in
- Cardinham, Bodmin, Cornwall 2.1in
- Camborne, Cornwall
1.9m - Tredegar, Bryn Bach Park, Gwent 1.8in
- Thorney Island, West Sussex1.7in
- Hurn, Dorset
1.7in - Cardiff, Bute Park, Sth Glamorgan 1.7in
- Shoreham Airport, West Sussex 1.6in
- Usk, Monmouthshire
1.6in - Ballypatrick Forest, Antrim
1.5in
Further defences were set to go up in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
In Wallington coaches were at the ready to evacuate residents while a severe flood warning remained in place, but only three villagers decided to leave, Fareham Borough Council said.
The Environment Agency said the flood warning was scaled back after a consignment of massive sandbags was used to shore up the cracked river wall, and added that the highest tide had passed without incident.
Around 50 houses in the village have deployed flood defences, given to the houses most at risk as part of a government grant 18 months ago.
Claire Nash, 40, who has lived in one of those houses for four years, said: ‘Our rear defence is not working properly and some water is coming in.'
‘It is very scary - we have moved the Christmas tree and presents upstairs. Our garden is so long that we never thought the water would get so high - we thought we would be safe.’
Scott Mills, a coastal engineer, was monitoring the effectiveness of the defences which they helped install.
He said: ‘The main concern is that the flow is very high in comparison to normal and we still have a relatively low tide - we’ll need to keep monitoring it closely.’
Two cars became submerged in floodwater towards the north end of the village.
Spectacle: Passersby stopped to take photographs of the swollen River Wallington
Nightmare situation: Carol Sheppard in her flooded garden and yard at her house in Emsworth, Hampshire, having moved in only two weeks previously
Wet: Rain has left roads flooded and traffic trying to make its way through water near Colyton, East Devon
Wet wet wet: Nicky Crocker, of Moreton, Dorset, took this image (right) of a caravan that had come to rest against a foot bridge on the River Frome; and a cyclist (left) gets through the floods in Emsworth, Hampshire
Protection: A Christmas tree sits on a bench, out of the rising floodwaters surrounding a property in Emsworth, Hampshire (left), while David Pratt attempts to keep the water from entering his home in the same area (right)
Jon King, 26, a Wallington resident, said: ‘It hasn’t stopped raining since yesterday, it has never been this bad. It is not the first time this has happened but it’s definitely the worst I’ve ever seen.’
Wallington last experienced floods to this extent in 2000 - a footbridge caused flooding to housing when it became caught up with debris. It has since been raised and water was passing 1ft below.
Anxious: Nervous residents wait to see if the River Wallington will burst its banks in the Hampshire village
Sandbags: Engineers are on site at the village in Hampshire looking at what can be done to protect it
Preparations were put in place for scores of homes to be evacuated, but only three people - including one vulnerable person - actually left, Fareham Borough Council said.
Structural engineers from the council and the Environment Agency have inspected the flood wall that has three cracks in it.
'It hasn’t stopped raining since yesterday, it has never been this bad. It is not the first time this has happened but it’s definitely the worst I’ve ever seen'
Jon King, 26, of Wallington, Hampshire
But EA operations manager David Robinson explained that the main concern was the high tide meeting the rain water after more than 20mm fell in the area overnight.
The atmosphere was relaxed in Wallington earlier today despite the threat with the local pub, the Cob & Pen doing a roaring trade. Residents in the village were taking the warnings in their stride.
Alan Humphrey, who has lived in his house for 26 years, said he had been flooded only once - in 2000.
Speaking from behind a flood barrier protecting his doorway, Mr Humphrey said: ‘We are in control. We have a bit of water in the back garden but we're not worried about that.
‘It's just a question of whether the wall holds. If it gives there will be quite a few feet of water coming down the street. In 2000 we were flooded and now we have these flood defences and they are effective. I'm not panicking - it's only water.’
High levels: The River Wallington can be seen running dangerously close to the gardens of homes in Hampshire
Sodden: Sandbags are piled up outside homes in the Hampshire village amid warnings the River Wallington could burst its banks
Still busy: Christmas shoppers (left) and men dressed as Father Christmas (right) brave the rain on Oxford Street in central London today
In Devon and Cornwall, which bore the brunt of much of the worst weather during widespread flooding last month, police reported only minor disruption across the two counties.
In Cornwall, there was a minor landslide near Gorran Haven, with around one tonne of topsoil obstructing the road, while the tiny community of Praze-an-Beeble could only be accessed from one side after flooding on the main road in made the route impassable.
Polson Bridge in Launceston, near the border with Devon, was also closed, police said. In St Cleer, near Liskeard, one woman had to be rescued from her car after becoming trapped by floodwater.
But there was no repeat of the scenes of late November, when dozens of people had to be evacuated from their homes as floodwater surged down narrow streets and floodplains saturated, causing millions of pounds of damage.
A police spokesman said: ‘Thankfully we are not experiencing the level of flooding we saw a few weeks ago. There aren’t reports of widespread flooding to residential properties.
‘It seems that a lot of motorists have learned the lessons from last time, too. People are taking greater care on the roads.’
Cornwall Council said more than 100 members of its staff dealt with flood-related calls overnight and into this morning. The majority of them related to surface water flooding on some roads.
A council spokesman said a man became trapped after driving over a humpback bridge crossing the Bude Canal in north Cornwall.
He said: ‘The man managed to get out of his car but, as he was surrounded by fast-flowing and rising water, he called the fire service for help. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the swift water rescue team reached the man and escorted him to safety.'
In a warning ahead of further expected disruption, he added: ‘Members of the public are being advised to avoid driving though roads which have been flooded, as this could not only be dangerous for drivers, but could also create waves which could push floodwater into people’s homes and businesses.’
Submerged: A flooded road in Moreton, Dorset, one of the areas badly affected by relentless rainfall
Southern and south western England, south-east Wales, the Midlands and the North East of England have been urged to prepare for flooding today and warned to expect further rain over the weekend.
The counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West and East Sussex, south east Wales, Northamptonshire and North Yorkshire are particularly at risk.
Some areas have seen persistent rain since the early hours of yesterday morning, with fairly high rainfall totals coming in from the South West over the past 34 hours until 10am this morning.
Plymouth in Devon, saw 2.2inches, Cardinham in Cornwall had 2.1inches, Camborne in Cornwall had 1.9inches and Bryn Bach Park in Gwent had 1.8inches.
Meanwhile over the 10 hours up until 10am today, Shoreham Airport in West Sussex had 1.3inches and Cardinham had 1.1inches.
Met Office forecaster Sarah Holland told MailOnline: 'It's two extremes of the country - the South West of England and the North East of Scotland - that are going to be the worst hit areas.
‘Tomorrow for many it's a bit of respite - the exception again being North East Scotland, but for many a much drier, more settled day and temperatures a little bit above normal for the South.
Making headway: A cyclist in a bright yellow poncho cycles along Brighton seafront in the pouring rain today
Hard work: Mr Pratt (right) attempts to keep the rising flood waters from entering his home in Hampshire
Preparation: An Environment Agency team constructs the Bewdley flood defense barrier as the level of River Severn rises, as parts of the UK are braced for further flooding
Spray: Women walk through heavy rain in Bradford, West Yorkshire, today, as life goes on despite the weather
DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS? PREPARE TO BE DISAPPOINTED
Dreams of a white Christmas are likely to be dashed this year by unseasonably mild temperatures, forecasters said today.
Conditions on December 25 could be perfect for winter walks, with sunshine set to grace much of the country.
Only western areas are expected to see scattered showers on what is predicted to be a dry and mild day elsewhere.
Temperatures are forecast to climb as high as 10C in the south and 7C in northern regions, weathermen said.
If there is any snow, it is likely to be confined to the peaks of mountains in the Scottish Highlands.
The mild conditions are predicted to continue into Boxing Day but Britain is likely to see in the New Year with a bout of wet and windy weather.
Tony Conlan, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said the UK will be unusually warm, particularly over the weekend, when the mercury could hit 14C.
‘I think one thing we can say is that there is very unlikely to be any snow on Christmas Day except perhaps on the very top of mountains in the Scottish Highlands, and that is about it,’ he said.
‘There is probably going to be sunshine but also scattered showers in the more western areas. It is going to be a mild day in the south, with highs of up to 10C but a bit colder in the north.’
‘But on Saturday we could see between 20mm (0.8inches) to 30mm (1.2inches) falling in both areas over about six hours. We're looking at 40mm (1.6inches) to 50mm (2inches) widely in Scotland.
'On much higher ground in Scotland we could see up to 100mm (3.9inches). It's really important that people are weather-aware over the next few days.’
Forecasters said the rain would ease off in the South West this afternoon and it would be dry tomorrow, but warned the weather across the UK is likely to remain unsettled for up to seven days.
South east Wales, the Midlands and the north east of England were also at risk as successive bands of rain sweep across the country. The weather is likely to remain unsettled for up to seven days.
Billy Payne, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, said: 'Most of the country at the moment is still covered in heavy rain.
'That rain's going to become more confined to the North tonight, while the heaviest rain will be in south eastern Scotland.
'Over 30mm will fall later on across the south east of Scotland and there will still be heavy bursts elsewhere in the north of England and for a time in the Midlands as well.'
He added that while tomorrow daytime should be drier, the rain was set to fall heavily again by the evening, particularly in south west England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
'Cornwall and Devon will be seeing the worst rain tomorrow night which will then move north-eastwards.
'Saturday will be a lot like today and in some areas will be quite heavy, so not particularly pleasant and will add to flooding worries.
'One of our models suggests up to an inch will fall tomorrow night across Cornwall and there could be half an inch across the UK in general.'
It is feared the latest bout of wet weather could leave more homes under water and cause further disruption on the road and rail networks.
Motorists were warned not to use flooded roads and an AA spokesman said it had attended 327 break downs due to vehicles being driven through or still stuck in floodwater.
East Dorset and the New Forest in Hampshire were worst affected along with the Midlands, he added.
People in the West Country were in despair as areas faced another flood battering. Diana Greene from St Blazey, near St Austell, Cornwall, has been flooded for the fourth time in six years.
She said ‘It's just the worry of it. You never know what you're going to come downstairs to in the morning. My back garden is like a paddy field.
‘It's just not draining away. The earth is so sodden there's just nowhere for it to go. My front room and pathway leading to the front door are lower than the road.
Forecast: These three-day look at the weather shows how rain will affect most of England today and Saturday
Vanished: The UK can hardly be seen underneath this Met Office rainfall radar image taken this morning
‘And the road was closed off because it was flooded so you can imagine the state of my front room.’
'My back garden is like a paddy field. It's just not draining away. The earth is so sodden there's just nowhere for it to go. My front room and pathway leading to the front door are lower than the road'
Diana Greene, from St Blazey, Cornwall
Properties across Cornwall - in towns and villages including Altarnun, Polbathic, St Keverne, Gunwalloe, Gorran Haven and Mevagissey - were flooded during the night.
Many roads across Cornwall are more than a foot under water. The local fire brigade said a garage at Polbathic, near Torpoint was hit by floodwater 3ft deep after a river burst its banks.
Crews were checking to ensure no chemicals from the garage had seeped into the river where they could harm wildlife. Some parts of the village of St Keverne were more than 2ft deep in water.
A couple were hauled out of their van at 1am after it became stranded in 4ft deep water in a swollen ford when its engine compartment flooded in a ford in Purbrook near Portsmouth, Hampshire.
The man and woman, believed to be in their mid-20s, were saved by firefighters after they called for help. Fire crews put ladders across the road to the vehicle to allow them to walk to safety.
Outdoors: A woman throws a ball for her dog in the wind and rain on South Beach in Bridlington, East Yorkshire
Getting through: A motorbike rider tries to avoid a flooded road in Totton, Hampshire, as cars follow behind
Fireman Joe Forrest said: ‘It was very cold and very wet. I don’t think the couple realised how deep it was. Fortunately we got them to safety. If they had been in a car it would’ve been a different story.’
A 30-year-old man was also rescued from his car after it got trapped in 3ft deep flood water in Fareham, near Portsmouth. The water came up to the bottom of the car’s doors.
'It was very cold and very wet. I don’t think the couple realised how deep it was. Fortunately we got them to safety. If they had been in a car (rather than a van) it would’ve been a different story'
Hampshire fireman Joe Forrest
But firefighters waded through the water to escort him to safety. The rescue operation only lasted five minutes and crews gave the man some dry clothes before letting him go.
The rainfall also caused the Lymington River in Brockenhurst in the New Forest, Hampshire, to burst its banks, making the surrounding roads impassable.
Furthermore, three bungalows in Hampshire were swamped overnight due to heavy rain. Two feet of water flowed down a field and gushed into the homes in Emsworth, near Portsmouth, at 3.30am.
Another trouble-spot was the westbound exit slip road from the M27 at J10 for Wickham which, at 7.30am, was under 3ft of flood water. The rail networks were also hit by the extensive rainfall.
South West Trains said there was no service between Bournemouth, Dorset and Brockenhurst Waterloo services were terminating at Southampton Central in Hampshire.
Battle: A woman makes her way through rain in Saltaire, near Bradford, West Yorkshire, on Thursday morning
Difficult conditions: A vehicle makes its way through floodwaters near Shepton Mallet, Somerset, as torrential rain deluges the region once again
Over half a month’s worth of rain has fallen on Dorset in the last 24 hours. The Isle of Purbeck was deluged with 2inches of rain, compared to an average of 3.5inches for December.
AND HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS... NO HOSEPIPE BAN LIKELY NEXT YEAR
While you battle your way through the rain and your umbrella turns inside out today, there is one piece of good news to consider.
A hosepipe ban is not expected to be required next year because reservoirs are full and there is unlikely to be any need to restrict water supplies whatever the weather, the Environment Agency said.
The agency's guidance comes after a major drought earlier this year resulted in 20million customers being issued with hosepipe bans.
The EA said another dry winter would have caused huge problems and it would have had to have moved fish to protect them.
Residents of the village of Moreton, Dorset, were left bemused when a caravan floated past them after being washed into a flooded river.
It is thought the mobile home had been left in a field close to the River Frome which burst its banks earlier today. The flood water swept the caravan into the river and dragged it downstream.
Fire crews were called out to but left the scene after making sure nobody was inside. It has now been left in the river for the owners to recover.
The Environment Agency in the Midlands said almost 56 flood alerts are currently in place, with one flood warning issued for the River Frome near Stroud in Gloucestershire.
In the riverside town of Bewdley in Worcestershire, on the banks of the Severn, flood defences were being put up today, and at Upton-upon-Severn existing flood barriers were being monitored with the river predicted to keep rising.Defences were also set to go up in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
Elsewhere: A covering of snow on the County Durham border near Cumbria was seen this afternoon
Areas of England and Wales were last month engulfed by flood water that surged through streets and down roads, cutting off whole communities and forcing dozens to flee their homes.
'Tomorrow it will largely be dry in the South West, but by the evening the next band of rain will move in. That will stay throughout the weekend and into next week'
Andy Ratcliffe, MeteoGroup forecaster
Rivers burst their banks and fields were flooded as several days' rain fell in just a few hours.
With the possibility of more flooding on the way, people are being urged to keep up to date with the latest information from the EA's website and sign up to flood warnings.
They are also being advised check their route for disruption before travelling, and not to drive or walk through floodwater.
The counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex and Northamptonshire are particularly at risk.
Craig Woolhouse, flood risk manager at the Environment Agency, said: ‘Our teams are out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding, clearing drainage channels and ensuring that flood defences are working properly.
Rain, rain, rain: Forecast maps for today and tomorrow show the heaviest rain in yellow and the lightest in blue
Looking ahead: Sunday will also be very wet for the UK, although most areas should escape rain on Saturday
‘We urge people to keep up to date with the weather forecast and local news overnight and remain prepared for flooding in their area by signing up to receive free flood warnings and staying away from dangerous flood water.’
'Our teams are out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding, clearing drainage channels and ensuring that flood defences are working properly'
Craig Woolhouse, Environment Agency flood risk manager
Meanwhile meteorologists said this Christmas is highly unlikely to be a white one, and instead will bring a mixture of rain and bright spells across the country - alongside mild temperatures of 11C.
One family forced to rush to safety from their home after costly new flood defences in a Worcestershire village failed last month have been given a home over Christmas by the local vicar.
The Crosby family had to evacuate their rented house after expensive pumps were overwhelmed and stopped working at the Kempsey flood defences.
Today and tomorrow: These maps show the greatest flood risk in red, followed by orange - and yellow for low
The vicar of Kempsey, the Rev Mark Badger, has taken his house in Worcester off the market and has given it to the family to stay in so they have a roof over their heads for the festive season.
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY: IT TAKES JUST 2FT OF WATER TO FLOAT A CAR
The Environment Agency has issued 37 flood warnings and 207 flood alerts. A spokesman warned it takes just 2ft of water to float a car.
Andy Bowers of the EA said: ‘The persistent rain has caused many roads to become flooded and conditions are not likely to improve today.
‘We are urging motorists not to take any undue risks by driving through floodwater. Some of the water is already very deep and it is only set to get deeper.
‘Vehicles can be swept away or become stranded, so if in doubt do not enter the water, either in a vehicle or on foot. Drivers should take sensible precautions when driving in this weather.’
Malcolm Crosby said the offer was 'very generous and really unexpected' and said it meant his family would now have 'a bit of stability before Christmas'.
The Kempsey flood defence pumps were officially unveiled in July, as part of a £1.5million project that included earth embankments and a series of sluice gates.
About 30 houses in the village were evacuated in the early hours of Sunday November 25 after heavy rain led to flooding.
Traffic information company Inrix said around 18million drivers could take to the road this festive season, and driving home for Christmas could take up to six times longer than usual in places - especially if the roads are icy and wet.
Tyre company Michelin said those living in London would travel the furthest, motoring an average of 167 miles. It added that around 7 per cent of drivers had changed their travel plans due to the rising cost of petrol.
Drenched: The Met Office already has weather warnings for heavy rain and ferocious winds in place for today (top), less so tomorrow (middle), but then more alerts Saturday (above)
LEFT HOMELESS FOR CHRISTMAS AFTER FLOODING DESTROYS BUNGALOW
A couple are ‘absolutely devastated’ after being left homeless for Christmas after their bungalow was today destroyed by flooding.
Three bungalows in Emsworth, Hampshire, were swamped by 9ft of water after a river burst its banks, and two - including Gordon and Margaret Coleman’s - were damaged beyond repair.
Mr Coleman, 70, said: ‘It was around 2.30am when the phone rang to say the field at the back of the properties was flooding where there is a small stream.
Devastated: Gordon Coleman's bungalow in Emsworth, Hampshire, was swamped by 9ft-deep water
‘The water came through into the conservatory at first and through the French doors. It filled up and then came into the kitchen.
More flooding: The couple put sandbags at the back of the bungalow after it was flooded two years ago
‘It has ruined Christmas for us - we have no power, electric, phone or heating. We have tried to put as much personal belongings in the loft as we can.
‘I have been in contact with our insurance company who are trying to find us accommodation.’
The couple put sandbags at the back of the bungalow after it was flooded two years ago, causing £50,000 of damage.
He added: ‘I have complained to the Environmental Agency, the Highways Authority, councillors, our local MP and British Railway (now Network Rail) but no-one seems to do anything about it.
‘They all seem to pass the buck. Last time I had to move out for four months and its worse this time. I'm completely fed up of no-one doing anything about it. I'm absolutely devastated. It's heart-breaking.’
Fire-fighter Joe Forrest, watch manager at nearby Havant Fire Station, added: ‘At least two of the bungalows were ruined. The water was just flowing through their front doors.
‘The problem was that as soon as we pumped water out, more came back in again. The carpets in some of the bungalows were floating.’
VIDEO Flooding causes havoc in Hampshire
VIDEO Heavy rain set to bring disruption for Christmas getaway (Met Office)
VIDEO Flood-Threatened Wallington residents urged to leave (YouTube)
VIDEO A Porsche underwater with its windscreen wipers still going (YouTube)
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2250940/UK-Weather-South-West-flood-alert-parts-Britain-brace-rain-Christmas.html#ixzz2FcwSggBy
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