A woman in Congleton got a shock this week when she found a foot-long snake while rearranging the cushions on her sofa.

The RSPCA said Lesley Tomkinson from Clayton Avenue had no idea how the corn snake ended up in her house.

Image source, RSPCA

The snake is now in the care of a specialist reptile keeper and Lesley said: "I screamed like a girl - it was more from the shock than anything else."

“I mean, it isn’t usual to find a snake sitting on your sofa!"

BBC Weather Watchers

The rain has been continuing to fall around the West Midlands and there's plenty of thick grey cloud about too.

These photos were taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Malvern, Bodenham and Rushbury.

Image source, Malvern Hillbilly

Image source, Step Counter

Image source, Peter Steggles

Karl Gallagher died from a single stab wound to the chest following the attack in April.

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watcher Timbo sent in this drizzly snap from Birmingham city centre, the Mailbox and Cube are visible in the distance from the canal.

Image source, Timbo

Meanwhile in Great Barr, BBC Weather Watcher Suttonwalker took this snap of a flooded road.

Image source, Suttonwalker

Find out how to become a BBC Weather Watcher.

You can also send us your photos and tell us what the situation is near you by email or by twitter or Facebook, external.

Heavy rain in parts of the West Midlands leaves vehicles stranded.

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Coincidentally, the firefighters based in Much Wenlock are practising water rescue techniques this week.

They probably weren't expecting to be doing it in heavy rain and thunderstorms in the middle of June.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Trescott Ford on the outskirts of Wolverhampton is impassable due to recent rain, South Staffs Police say., external

Alternative routes via Castlecroft are available.

Image source, South Staffs Police

"Please do not attempt to drive through when water levels are high," the force said on Twitter.

"It will write off your vehicle and it can be dangerous getting out."

BBC Midlands Today

Flooding's hit plenty of roads today across Birmingham.

This was the scene on Yardley Green Road, Stechford this morning:

West Midlands Fire Service says, external drivers should never try to go through flood-water, no matter what vehicle they're driving.

The Met Office warning for thunderstorms has lifted for large parts of the West Midlands, but parts of Worcestershire are still covered by the warning, which is in place until midnight.

Image source, Met Office

West Midlands Roads says, external although the warning has lifted, there is still plenty of standing water and to take care.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The flooding in Staffordshire yesterday caused sewage pipes in Baldwins Gate to overflow,

Homes on Gateway Avenue and Meadow Way had to be pumped out and residents have asked Severn Trent Water to investigate, because they believe drains may have been blocked.

Image source, LDRS

Severn Trent visited Baldwins Gate and said it was checking to make sure everything was working properly, including the local pumping station.

Staffordshire Council said its contractors had visited the pumping station too and carried out a number of repairs.

The councillor responsible for highways, Helen Fisher, said: "The problems may have been caused by a power cut, but the teams will know more when the report is complete.”

Image source, LDRS

Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today

More heavy rain is causing problems for motorists in parts of Birmingham this morning following flash flooding yesterday.

People are advised to avoid Cole Hall Lane, Shard End.

BBC Weather Watchers

We're starting to see photos of flooded roads and footpaths around the West Midlands.

These pictures were taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Wythall and Lydbury North and the rain is expected to get heavier in southern parts of the region this afternoon.

Image source, Ryan Lewis

Image source, Ken M

Five flood alerts are in place across England - all in the Midlands.

The alerts mean flooding is possible and to be prepared.

Image source, Environment Agency

In the West Midlands, the Environment Agency alerts cover:

• River Anker and River Sence, on the border of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, external
• River Blythe in Warwickshire, external
• River Cole, near Sheldon, Birmingham, external
• River Stour and Smestow Brook in the Black Country and South Staffordshire, external

The fifth covers watercourses to the west of Loughborough in Leicestershire.

The localised picture is becoming a little clearer as the region braces for more bad weather.

Parts of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Warwickshire are forecast thunder storms today and the Met Office has warned, external "there is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly".

It is also warning that roads could become flooded and communities could become cut off.

And it said there is a "slight chance" the storms could cause power cuts.

Image source, Little Acorns

The rest of the West Midlands is forecast to miss the thunderstorms, but will still see heavy rain today.

And that is likely to bring some flooding, the Met Office says.

The Environment Agency's Ian Jones says a "grotty patch of weather" is making its way across much of the country.

Covering the whole of the West Midlands, Mr Jones says we are likely to see a lot of standing water.

BBC Weather Watchers

This heavy rain started falling overnight and as you can see from these BBC Weather Watcher photos, there's not much sign of the grey cloud lifting.

These pictures were taken near Leek and Gnosall this morning.

Image source, Videoman

Image source, Shaun

There are weather warnings across the West Midlands.

One is for more wet weather following Wednesday's deluge which brought disruption to the region.

The other is for thunder storms from Midday.