Heavy rain brings flood warnings amid commuter chaos in West Midlands
Roads were blocked, schools closed and train services hit amid inclement heavy rain across the West Midlands.
Forecasters braced people for further rain overnight into Friday as Britain was gripped by sweeping rain showers.
The West Midlands escaped much of the rainfall which has left parts of South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire flooded in recent days.
But the weather was still causing havoc with the Environment Agency issuing 29 flood alerts across the Black Country, Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
West Midlands Railway, Virgin Trains and London Northwestern services were disrupted by heavy rain.
Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill warned of delays or cancellations through the Thursday commute home.
Localised routes in the Black Country and Birmingham were hit by standing water with drivers urged to take care.
Gushing water was bursting the banks at the River Stour off Hawne Lane and Belle Vale on the border of Cradley and Cradley Heath, at Lye Cross in Stourbridge.
Deep water left parts of Wolverhampton Road, in Oldbury, impassable along with parts of Beacon Road, at Barr Beacon, in Walsall.
There were reports of flooding parts of Sedgley Road East, in Tipton.
Bristol Road South, in Longbridge, Birmingham, was blocked after heavy rain on Thursday morning.
Parts of King George VI Park, in Kingswinford, were also submerged by rising water levels at the pond.
Motorists also faced treacherous driving conditions in Wyre Forest with roads hit by flooding and mudslides.
West Mercia Police said the A448 Kidderminster Road was "completely impassable" near Fox Lane and through Chaddesley Corbett.
Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary School was closed due to flooding outside.
Bridgnorth Road, in Franche, was also blocked along with Kingsford Lane, in Wolverley, and Lincomb Bank, in Hartlebury, which was hit by a mud slide.
Flood barriers were up in Bewdley along the banks of the River Severn were expected to peak on Saturday at 12.5ft (3.8m).
Although this is someway off the highest level recorded in November 2000 at 18.2ft (5.56m) when the town suffered extensive flooding.
There was also a flood alert in place on the River Stour at the Stourbridge and Stourton river gauges.
Meanwhile a Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers meeting at The Dell Stadium, in Pensnett, Brierley Hill, had to be cancelled on Thursday night due to poor weather.
A yellow weather alert for "widespread" rain is also in place for the West Midlands until 11.45pm on Thursday.
EA’s flood duty manager Kate Marks said: “It’s really important that impacted communities remain vigilant and take steps to prepare for flooding by checking their flood risk regularly and making plans to stay safe.”
The EA said 300 staff were working around the clock in various parts of the country, deploying pumps to disperse water through five of the worst-hit locations.
Just last month when flooding hit the West Midlands cars became stranded and Stafford Cricket and Hockey Club was covered in 1ft of water and will not be reopening until at least the New Year.
Flooding also hit low-lying areas near Shugborough Estate in Stafford, with walkers forced to find another way through.
