Flooding leads to disruption across the West

1. Residents evacuated from their homes in Gloucestershire - with Alney Island badly affected
2. Thirty-two flood warnings issued for Gloucestershire with water surrounding Tewkesbury
3. Twenty-five flood warnings for Wiltshire - with river levels rising in Bradford-on-Avon
4. A landslip at Crewkerne is blocking railway lines from Yeovil and Exeter
5. The railway line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway is still closed - days after it first shut due to flooding
6. The Reading to Taunton line is also closed due to flooding

Goodbye and thanks for joining us

That brings today's live coverage of flooding in the West to an end.

Thanks for following our page throughout the day.

We will continue to cover the aftermath and clean-up over the weekend online, on our local radio stations and on BBC Points West.

Goodnight.

Flood water will be "very slow" to recede

BBC

The Environment Agency's Nick Green said he expects that flood water would be "very slow" to recede and would likely stay put for a few days.

Speaking in Gloucester, Mr Green told BBC Points West that there had been so much water that flood defences there had "overtopped".

He explained the "two huge rivers" - the Severn and the Avon - were "really high" with "huge amounts of flow in them" and that floodplains were full of water.

He advised people to "stay out of the flood water", "heed the advice" and "work with the emergency services".

Elderly residents evacuated from homes

Wiltshire Search and Rescue has been helping evacuate elderly people from their homes in Marlborough.

Many residents in the town have been told to leave their homes due to flooding.

Earlier, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it was helping 40 people out of Marlborough's Town Mill retirement complex.

Wiltshire Search and Rescue

'Everyone pulling together'

Maddie Simpson

BBC Gloucestershire

Affect of flooding for the residents of Longford

Residents in Longford, Gloucestershire, whose homes have been flooded have been helping each other out.

Emma said water had got into her house, affecting the hall and living room, while Emily said everyone had been "pulling together" and checking on their neighbours.

Tim, who also lives nearby, said the flooding was "by far the worst" he has seen it in the past 10 years.

He has been putting sandbags down to help keep the water out of his property.

Aerial view of flooding in Staverton

Andrew Czerniachowicz

These shots of the Staverton area, near Trowbridge, were taken by Andrew Czerniachowicz.

"The town has a pond again, and Staverton has a lake," he said.

"It's been a while since the water levels have been this high."

Andrew Czerniachowicz

Andrew Czerniachowicz

Pulteney Weir barely visible

Bath: Drone video shows Pulteney Weir is barely visible

Rising water levels rendered Bath's famous Pulteney Weir almost invisible after heavy rain in the city.

The overflowing river was captured by our drone, showing Pulteney Bridge and Monkton Combe.

Good news as drier weather ahead

Those living in flooded areas can at least look forward to clear skies this weekend, as The Met Office has confirmed drier weather is on the way.

It said on X: "The impactful rain and showers which have been a feature of the new year’s weather will ease with many regions becoming fine and dry over the weekend."

The service said, however, that temperatures are set to drop.

BBC West weatherman Ian Fergusson added: "It's all change now to dry/drier, settled & colder conditions, replacing the uber-wet onslaught of recent days & weeks.

"As it stands, the emerging colder period looks standard winter fare, with risk of anything particularly pronounced/severe remaining low (at least for now)."

Council defends flood response

BBC

A woman and her dogs had to be rescued from Alney Island earlier

Gloucester City Council has responded to concerns not enough was done to help flood-hit residents of Alney Island on Thursday night.

The strip of land sitting between two channels of the River Severn has been badly affected with residents advised to evacuate.

A council spokesperson said: “Officers were out in the Alney Island area all day on Thursday, knocking on doors, talking to residents, giving advice and listening to their concerns, as well as talking to residents in other areas at risk of flooding."

They explained the council made GL1 Leisure Centre available for people to use before any flooding occurred.

The spokesperson added: "Officers were working throughout the evening to provide further support and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service helped with evacuations.

"We don’t provide sandbags to residents as was decided by council after much debate some time ago.

"In this extreme situation sandbags would have offered little protection from this river flooding given the amount of water involved and the force of the river’s tides.”

Bradford-on-Avon's town centre is closed

Emma Colman

BBC Wiltshire

Bradford-on-Avon town centre closed due to flooding

The Environment Agency has warned Bradford-on-Avon is its biggest area of concern in Wiltshire.

The town centre has been forced to close, as it is under flood water, which can be seen covering roads and footpaths.

Rising river levels have severely affected homes and businesses in the area.

'This brings out the best in people'

BBC

Kennet Place in Marlborough

Ian Perryman is one of many Marlborough residents using the town hall after being evacuated from their homes.

He explained people in the Wiltshire town have been offering spare rooms and keeping people driven out by the flood waters fed, watered and warm.

"What more could we ask for?," he said.

"This brings out the best in people.

"The river has been rising slowly, but we didn't expect it as high as it is. Water was lapping at our doors, it may have gone in - we don't know."

He added: "We waded out up to our thighs, got wet, dried off, took a bag with the essentials. It hasn't been like this before.

"As long as we've got a warming climate, we're going to get this."

Drivers 'removing and ignoring' road closure signs

Tewkesbury police

Tewkesbury Police have posted on X, formerly Twitter, to say they are at the Ledbury Road/Mythe Road junction as drivers have been removing and ignoring the road closure sign.

"This is causing issues meaning we will now have to remain on scene until Highways are able to do a barrier closure.

"Please do not ignore signage," they said in the post.

Mouse stays afloat on plate in flooded house

Kate Ashplant

Kate Ashplant had a surprise visitor to her home in in Catsham, near Glastonbury, after it was flooded with about 1ft (30cm) of water last night.

She came down in the morning to see a mouse sitting on a floating plate.

"It was the driest thing in the house," she said.

Ms Ashplant said she rescued the animal and helped it get to higher ground.

High water levels at Gloucester's historic docks

BBC

These pictures show the flood situation at Gloucester's historic docks.

BBC

Community help sweep water out of flooded pub

Local people have pitched in the help staff at The Bell Inn, Evercreech, Somerset, sweep flood water out of the pub.

They said a number of people appeared at their door "armed with sandbags, brooms and pumps".

And with so much flood damage causing misery for many, it is nice to report that thanks to the community's help, the pub plans to reopen for business this evening.

Team sweep flood water out of pub in Evercreech

'More needs to be done to protect us'

Caroline Price

Caroline Price and her husband Matt live in Abbey Terrace near the historic Tewkesbury Abbey and the River Avon.

Their house has been flooded after the river burst its banks and it is the same story for other homes in the area, some of which are 200-years-old and are listed buildings.

Ms Price said: "It came in really quickly last night and people driving down the road hasn't helped.

"It's pretty bad and more needs to be done in Tewkesbury to help protect us residents from flooding."

The couple's photos show just how much water has entered the property and flooded out the downstairs rooms.

Caroline Price

Caroline Price

Caroline Price

Flood water around Bathampton Mill

Bath resident Anthony Grimley captured this footage of flood water around the Bathampton Mill, in Bath.

Extra pumps brought in to deal with Somerset flooding

The Environment Agency has brought in additional pumps at several pumping stations and sites around the moors.

It is currently pumping water at Northmoor and Saltmoor into the River Parrett, in Somerset.

The River Tone is currently too high for pumping at Currymoor, and is likely to remain high in the coming days.

River Parrett levels will be managed by using the Sowy relief channel when river levels allow.

Resident calls for better protection of homes

BBC

Mr Hilton said he has become used to his house regularly flooding

James Hilton who lives on Alney Island, which is on the River Severn in Gloucester, has been battling with flood water in his home.

Some Alney Island residents were evacuated last night as a flood warning was put in place.

Mr Hilton said floods have become fairly common and he wanted the council to make improvements to defences to protect residents better.

"The river is still high and it’s not level along the wall. Different parts of the wall seem to be higher," he said.

"We have asked the council if they could put it up by one more brick. It would make a huge difference to the area."

BBC

Alney Island has been hit by severe flooding

Mr Hilton said the flood walls behind the houses along the river were built in about 2006 just before the major floods of 2007.

"Flooding here is becoming regular. It's changing due to the climate," he said.

"I’ve been here almost 30 years so I’ve got a bit seasoned with it and I try and do things with the house to make it easier to live in.

"All of our valuables now stay upstairs and a lot of stuff we have in the house is raised up on trestles.

"It’s what you do living next to the river," added Mr Hilton.

Early finish for pupils in Marlborough

A school in Marlborough, Wiltshire, has closed early due to travel congestion caused by flooding.

Principal of St John's Marlborough, Alan Henderson, emailed parents and carers to say significant flooding in and around the town had resulted in roads such as George Lane and the High Street becoming "severely congested".

The school closed at 14:15 GMT to help ensure all students and staff could get home safely.

Couple had to abandon car on 'terrifying' journey

Tom Peacock and his girlfriend Cara Robson endured a "terrifying" journey and had to abandon their car when it got stuck in floodwater.

Mr Peacock picked Ms Robson up from Bristol Airport and the couple were heading to Bournemouth when they ran into trouble in Somerset.

He told the BBC: "It sinks in quite quickly that you are actually stranded in the middle of nowhere.

"You do not know where you are, you do not know anyone around, we did not have any food, any water. It gets quite scary quite quickly even though you feel it is not that bad, it gets quite intimidating.

"It was pretty intense. You are worried it will get into the engine and stuff will start going wrong. It is running alright this morning so hopefully we will get home alright."

BBC

The couple managed to find a local pub to stay in - but that also flooded.

Ms Robson said: "I am used to it being like this in Scotland so I thought I was coming down for a nice wee holiday to England but apparently not.

"I to Glasgow University and that is pretty wet most of the time but I have ever experienced flooding like this. This was terrifying.

"But at the end of the day it was a lovely pub, we had a lovely stay and we are okay."