Flood warnings in place ahead of more heavy rain

River levels were expected to peak on Friday, the Environment Agency said

Two flood warnings have been put in place for parts of Shropshire.

The alerts, issued on Wednesday and which mean flooding is expected, cover the River Vyrnwy at Melverley and at Maesbrook in the north-west of the county.

Shropshire Council said it also expected flooding to affect low-lying land and roads from the Welsh border to Shrawardine, near Shrewsbury.

With further rain forecast, the authority added that river levels were not expected to peak until Friday.

A flood alert, meaning flooding is possible, was also in place in Stoke-on-Trent, with river levels rising in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area.

Two more alerts cover the Tern and Perry catchment in Shropshire as well as the Severn Vyrnwy confluence.

The A34 Talke Road in Staffordshire was also impassable between Talke roundabout and Bells Hollow due to flood-water, the travel service Inrix said.