Flooding causes chaos

Pensioners trapped in their homes, motorists abandoning cars, houses and businesses swamped with flood water – this is a summer the West Midlands will never forget.

Last year the region was basking in record temperatures. Today it was breaking records of another kind as torrential rain brought widespread chaos.

The worst flooding happened in Staffordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire, although parts of the Black Country were also affected and people attempting to travel across the area by road or rail faced major disruption.

Penkridge, between Stafford and Wolverhampton, was one of the worst areas affected.

Drivers were forced to abandon their cars to escape rising flood waters as the village was deluged. Motorists were also stranded in areas including Albrighton and Shifnal.

Pinfold Lane in Penkridge today remained completely underwater between the new Penkridge Medical Practice and the Monckton Recreation Centre. The River Penk has risen to the height of the arches at Cuttlestone Bridge, sending water cascading onto neighbouring roads.

On the other side of the village, Otherton Lane is blocked for cars as a tributary brook burst its banks.

Devastated homeowner Clive Atkins returned home to his home from a holiday to find water pouring through his front door and businessman Russ Perry is counting the cost of extensive flood damage to his nearby golf buggy repair business.

Tony Purchase, from Vale Gardens, said: "I've never seen anything like this. The market car park is completely underwater and the river is getting very close to the medical practice."

Motorist Keith Harrison, aged 39, was forced to abandon his car in a lane between Penkridge and Bradley, eventually finding help at a farmhouse where he was offered a lift to the village's railway station to get him home to Stafford. He said: "I've never seen flooding like it in Staffordshire – the water was up to my knees."

The A34 between Stafford and Cannock, the A5 from Cannock to Brownhills and A513 between Milford and Wolseley Bridge were among several roads severely hit by flooding. The M54 was also badly hit. Part of Silkmore Road in Stafford was closed today due to severe flooding, together with dozens of minor roads in Albrighton, Shifnal and across the Wyre Forest and Worcestershire.

Families in Balmoral Drive, Short Heath, Willenhall, were this morning counting the cost after their gardens flooded for the second time in a fortnight. In Worcestershire, rising flood waters on the River Teme overflowed and completely split Tenbury Wells, causing 20 people to be evacuated from their homes.

Two teenagers had to be rescued by firefighters after becoming stranded when a West Bromwich river burst its banks.

Fire crews were called to the banks of the River Tame at Newton Road at around 8.30pm last night after being alerted by police.

Elderly residents had to be evacuated from their flooded homes near Wolverhampton by boat after water burst through their doors. Eight men and women had to scramble out of the windows of their homes in Mill Close, Worfield, at 4am today into the vessel being carried by firefighters.

They were taken to the nearby Dog Inn where they were being given hot drinks and breakfast. A 30ft tree crashed to the ground after heavy rain and high winds two years after a Wolverhampton woman told the council it was rotten.

Elizabeth Denholm, aged 33, of Birmingham New Road, says it is extremely lucky no-one was killed or injured as the tree on a grass verge crashed across the pavement and into her garden.

Mark Davis, aged 32, was so fed up with what he describes as buck passing between Severn Trent and Walsall Council over the flooding in Chatsworth Close, he decided he and his children, Jaden, aged three, and Kiara, four, may as well see what they could catch and got their fishing rods out.

Mr Davis, a van driver, said it is the second time in a week the road has become awash as drains overflow under heavy rainfall but no action has been taken.

He said: "Since about eight months ago, every time there has been heavy rain the street has flooded. Yesterday I woke up to find it was about 18ins deep."

An alleyway leading to New Invention Infant and Junior schools has been closed because of heavy flooding over the last month.

Councillor Ian Shires said letters have been sent to parents informing them to keep their children away from the passageway off Cannock Road,Willenhall.

A footpath in Walsall Arboretum was closed off this morning, near the Clock Tower, although the park remained open. Just a fortnight ago the entire park was shut for the weekend after the Arboretum lake burst its banks causing £12,500 worth of damage. Firefighters were called out to more than 300 incidents in Shropshire in the last 24 hours.

More than 70 people were rescued by fire crews across the county, including incidents in Ludlow, Much Wenlock, Worfield, Stanton Lacey, Wellington, Leegomery and Ironbridge.

A bridge collapsed in Ludlow today, causing 20 people to be evacuated from homes. A gas pipe was also damaged in the town and fire crews ensured people and properties were protected while the gas company isolated the supply. Seven Shropshire schools are closed closed today, including Donnington Wood Junior in Telford & Wrekin and Worfield Primary.

South Staffordshire Water, which serves 1.25 million people across the region, said its biggest reservoir Blithfield was today overflowing after 14 hours of unrelenting rain.

The 100 per cent capacity compares with 89 per cent at this time last year, 79 per cent in 2005 and 86 per cent in 2004.

The reservoir, in Abbotts Bromley, near Rugeley, is the company's biggest water resource after the River Severn and supplies customers from Uttoxeter in Stafforshire down to Walsall, Sandwell and north Birmingham.

Reservoirs run by Severn Trent Water are filled to an average 92.5 per cent with three interconnecting reservoirs in the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire full to capacity.