Floods close schools, halt trains and submerge roads

Councillor Liam Walker, deputy leader of the Conservative Group at Oxfordshire County Council, said said the county had taken "a bit of a battering"

Several schools have been forced to close, roads have been left submerged and trains halted following flooding brought by Storm Bert.

Oxfordshire County Council said schools in many areas including Banbury, East Hanney and Abingdon had been affected by floodwater.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 20 flood warnings across the county with people urged to prepare as river levels have risen sharply overnight.

Many roads remain impassable and Great Western Railway (GWR) is advising passengers not to travel on any of its routes today.

If a flood warning is in place in your area you should move your family and pets to a safe place and your car or other vehicles to higher ground, if it is safe to do so.

The train firm said it had suspended services on all key routes because of flooding and fallen trees.

Dan Panes, from GWR, said: "Our advice is really clear which is frankly... do not travel.

"We are really sorry for the disruption - we might see some movement at midday but check very carefully on the GWR website to see what is happening with your train."

Councillor Liam Walker, deputy leader of the Conservative Group at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "Storm Bert has given us a bit of a battering.

"Roads in a lot of places that were underwater have never been underwater before."

He added rising water levels also led to a number of residents in Witney having to leave their homes on Sunday.

Mr Walker said the council was working to collate information for residents on where sandbags would be available to collect.

Yellow warnings of wind and rain were in place across the South over the weekend, with dozens of events cancelled because of the weather conditions.