Floods trap pair in car and leave residents stranded

The Royal Shakespeare Company has cancelled a performance after flooding hit the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon

People are being urged to take care after a car was rescued from flood water and people were left trapped in separate incidents in Warwickshire.

An inflatable sled was used as firefighters waded through water up to their knees to get to a vehicle that contained a man and a woman at Kenilworth Ford.

The rescue happened at 05:30 GMT on Tuesday and prompted a warning from the brigade to motorists not to drive through flood-waters.

Meanwhile, a resident in Wolston said people were isolated and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) cancelled a performance in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The rescue prompted a message urging people not to drive through flood-waters

Nikki, who lives in Wolston, said it had never flooded so badly before.

"I've never seen anything like it," she tweeted. "There's no way in or out even for the 4x4s."

The RSC said it had cancelled Tuesday's performance of The Box of Delights and The Fair Maid of the West because of rising water levels of the River Avon.

"We always try to go ahead with a performance as long as it is safe to do so, and cancelling performances is a last resort," it said in a statement.

Martin Swinden, fire station manager for the Warwick district, told BBC News the ground was saturated because of the heavy rain that was set to continue.

Speaking close to the scene of the stranded car in Kenilworth, he urged motorists to avoid roads that are flooded.

"The dangers are there for all to see and the view behind us [shows] that," Mr Swinden said.

Martin Swinden spoke at the scene of the rescue from the car in Kenilworth

Kenilworth and Warwick Rural Police also urged people to take alternative routes and urged drivers not to ignore signs on flooded roads.

"Drive according to the conditions that present themselves, not your rally-driving aspirations," officers said.

Warwickshire County Council added sandbags were being distributed to properties seen as at risk, with preparations for rest centres in place should they be needed.

A yellow weather warning for rain remained in place for the West Midlands until 21:00 GMT from Storm Henk.

The Environment Agency issued dozens of flood warnings and alerts for the region, including eight flood warnings in Warwickshire with some covering stretches of the River Avon.