Weekend wash-out as rain batters region

Events were washed out and roads in the West Midlands left under water after a weekend of heavy downpours that saw a week's worth of rain fall in one day.

Summer events, parades and sports matches suffered a slump in visitors, while motorists had to be rescued from water-logged roads, after the region was battered by around an inch of rain – more than the whole of June so far.

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Non-stop rainfall forced Cosford Air Show organisers to scrap several attractions at yesterday's show, including a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Vulcan display, while the world-famous RAF Red Arrows finished their routine early because of low cloud.

Organisers said around 38,000 people braved the downpours to go along to the show – down from 50,000 last year – while the event wrapped up hours before it was due to finish at 7pm.

Visitors wrapped up in rain-proof jackets and hid underneath umbrellas to watch the various aerial acrobatics in the skies above RAF Cosford near Wolverhampton.

Nicky Thomas, aged 25, from Telford was there with her son Conor Thomas-Jay, five and step-daughter Chloe Thomas-Webb, nine.

"It's the second time we've been to the air show and we love it," she said. "The rain wasn't going to keep us away. We drank plenty of hot drinks to keep warm."

In Walsall, a sponsored walk around the arboretum in aid of Diabetes UK pulled in 100 fewer people than expected.

Around 250 fundraisers had signed up for the event yesterday but the relentless rain kept 100 away.

Across the border in Sandwell, only a handful of people turned out to line the streets for a parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the Royal British Legion. Members of the Oldbury branch were forced to shelter under trees, marching with umbrellas and cutting the thanksgiving service at the war memorial short.

A charity match between two all-star teams at Sutton Coldfield's Walmley Cricket Club was also a washout. Celebrities including Graeme Hick, Darren Gough and West Bromwich's Blind Dave Heeley were forced to stay inside a marquee for most of the afternoon because of the heavy downpours.

The wet weather also hit the turnout at the first charity MGs in the Trees event at Chasewater Country Park.

Club chairman Steve Gwilt said that 110 cars had been entered and 90 turned out to take part in the runs, while displays on the day had to be cancelled because of the rainfall.

Fans of Sir Elton John braved the conditions for a concert at Shrewsbury's Meadow Stadium – some turning to feather boas to keep warm.

Meanwhile three men had to be rescued in South Staffordshire after the car they were in got stuck in a swollen ford during the downpours. Crews from Tettenhall and Wombourne were called out at 7.56pm last night to the blue Mercedes stuck in the ford on Furnace Grange Road, Trescott.

They pushed the vehicle out of the notorious trouble spot and left the scene at 8.39pm.

Crew commander Dean Marandola from Tettenhall said: "The ford was at a depth where the car should not have gone through it. The water was just below knee depth. We got into the water and pushed the car out."

All three men were uninjured.

A moped rider was also taken to hospital after coming off his bike yesterday in the slippery conditions. The man, in his 20s, was not seriously hurt and taken to Sandwell General Hospital as a precaution.

He came off his moped on the island linking the Black Country New Road to Leabrook Road in Wednesbury. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene at 1.45pm.

Met Office forecaster George Goodfellow said: "Some areas in the West Midlands got as much as one inch which is quite a lot over the space of 24 hours.

"The average for the whole of June is around 100mm so the region saw a quarter of that fall just yesterday.

"A few places saw more rain in one day compared to the whole of June so far. It was really nasty in most places of the country. The weather will improve this afternoon and tomorrow is due to get a bit warmer."