Chaos after bad weather

Flash flooding caused traffic chaos in the South West of England today – as the West Midlands endured the coldest start to winter in more than 30 years.

The region was drenched under nearly an inch of rain last night, causing main roads to flood in parts of Wolverhampton, Walsall and Stourbridge.

Roads in Devon and Somerset were under up to 18in of water today, with trees down and people trapped in their cars.

Emergency services in the South West answered 300 calls overnight and this morning, including 20 rescues from cars, and two dozen reports of minor house flooding. Motorists were urged to travel only if absolutely necessary.

The latest Met Office figures show the average temperature since the start of December has been just 35F (1.7C), well below the long-term average of 40F (4.7C). The West Midlands has fared slightly better with a mean temperature of 2.6C (35F).

In Walsall today motorists were left having to navigate their way around a flash flood on Bescot Road heading into Walsall from Junction 9 of the M6. Water had built up close to the traffic lights leaving cars having to stop and pull around the flood.

A flood also formed in Lichfield Street at the junction with Hatherton Road.

In Stourbridge firefighters had to pump water away from a blocked drain in Norton after a cellar was left flooded. The owner of the house in Worcester Street called emergency services at around 5am after water began seeping into the basement. Motorists in Wolverhampton also had to navigate flods on Compton Road and there were also floods on the A449 between Stafford and Wolverhampton at Four Ashes.