Heavy rain causes roads chaos as motorways close
[gallery] Two motorways were closed today and thousands of drivers delayed as torrential rain brought chaos to the region's roads.
Two lorries crashed on the M5 just before 7am, spilling diesel across the southbound carriageway. The motorway was shut between junction one for West Bromwich and two for Oldbury.
In Wolverhampton there was an accident on Hordern Road at its junction with Hunter Street.
While Smestow Brook, that runs through Wolverhampton and parts of South Staffordshire, was among 10 rivers in the Midlands featuring in flood warnings issued today.
Traffic was gridlocked this afternoon along the A460 out of Wolverhampton towards Featherstone as water blocked the carriageway, while an Audi became completely submerged in water at Trescott Ford, off the A454 Bridgnorth Road.
Meanwhile the M6 was shut in both directions between junctions 14 and 15 Staffordshire at 7.35am after a double decker bus caught fire, compounding problems caused by the driving conditions.
The closure of the M5 brought gridlock to surrounding roads in West Bromwich, Smethwick and Oldbury as drivers tried to find alternative routes.
Rain also caused other problems on the roads. A disabled woman and a motorist following behind were trapped in their cars which were engulfed by a flash flood on the Dudley-Sandwell border.
Water from a blocked storm drain is believed to have caused the 3ft-deep flood, which swamped a bend in Hawne Lane, Halesowen.
