Flash floods hit city centre after heavy rain

Parts of the city were underwater during morning rush hour

Flash flooding hit Coventry city centre after heavy rain across the West Midlands overnight.

Lower Ford Street in the city was underwater during the morning rush hour and surface water was also reported on streets across Warwickshire.

Steve Jackson, from Coventry's Bablake weather station, said heavy rain was not unusual for October and November and in rural areas the ground was incredibly dry and now soaking up the water.

He said the city centre saw flooding because of the drainage system getting blocked up. A yellow warning of rain has been issued for Friday and Mr Jackson said it was set to be the wettest day of the autumn so far.

Flooding was reported on a number of roads, including around Coventry city centre

"Most of the problem is overland flow on urban streets and rivers and gutters and coming off buildings - it's just not getting away as we would expect it in an urban environment," he said.

Looking ahead, Mr Jackson said Friday was set to be the wettest day of the autumn so far and it would also be windy, adding: "We're talking about driving rain - most unpleasant."

But he said: "So far this month in November, we've had less rain than average."

The Met Office said the whole of the UK would remain unsettled this week with spells of heavy and persistent rain, as well as strong winds.