South hit by floods after heavy rainfall

1. Flooding is reported across the south after heavy rain overnight
2. The highest rainfall in the country was in Otterbourne in Hampshire, where 35.2mm (1.4ins)
3. Train companies have also been badly affected by the deluge, with Great Western Railway warning of disruption all day
4. There have been road and lane closures across the region
5. Cars were left stranded in "thigh-high" water under a bridge in Fareham
6. It comes after disruption caused by strong winds and rain from Storm Henk earlier in the week, which left the ground saturated and more prone to flooding

That's all for today

Thank you for reading our flooding coverage for the south of England today.

Keep an eye on our pages for Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Dorset and Hampshire for further updates.

Staying out of trouble on wet roads - a guide

Greig Watson

Reporter, BBC News Online

Soaking pedestrians by driving through puddles is potentially a criminal offence - and other things motorists in wet weather should be aware of.

The BBC has put together a guide with information and advice on how best to handle the watery conditions when behind the wheel.

PA Media

Ice warning as UK Health Security Agency issues cold weather alert for weekend

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a cold weather alert for all of England

and warned that temperatures are set to plummet in the coming days.

The Met Office has also warned drivers to be cautious of ice developing on roads, and said the chilly temperatures will be caused by high pressure building over the UK.

The UKHSA's alert says: "A brisk easterly wind developing across the south over the weekend will make it feel much colder, with the added wind chill.

"Temperatures are likely to be a few degrees below average, across much of the UK, especially overnight, with more widespread frosts than of late.

"Ice is likely to be an issue for many given the very wet ground in most areas. It is probable this cold spell may last well into the following week."

The warning comes into force at 09:00 on Saturday and expires at noon on 12 January.

Heavy rainfall leads to flooding in Hampshire

By Katie Waple

BBC News

Drone footage shows scale of flooding

This drone footage shows the scale of the flooding along the Thames in Oxfordshire, as seen on Friday afternoon

Oxfordshire flooding

Residents concerned at flooded Berkshire railway

A local near Green Park train station in Berkshire expresses his concern that homes could be flooded in the area.

Del Shackleford, Fisheries officer for Reading & District Angling Association, points out how a flooded culvert, which normally directs water under the railway track, could cause bigger problems for residents.

Residents express concern of more flooding in Berkshire

Waterlogged gardens in Newbury

Relentless heavy rainfall hit Berkshire and flooded neighbourhoods in the county.

Here is a view of front gardens in Newport Road, in Newbury, after the River Lambourn overflowed.

BBC

A makeshift barrier of sandbags has been constructed by residents in a bid to stop the water spreading

Abingdon car park underwater as Thames bursts its banks

Dr. Mark Shanahan advises us not to use the Rye Farm car park in Abingdon today.

Messaging BBC South on X (formerly Twitter) he said the River Thames is "running as high as I've seen it in a decade" and that "the river's supposed to be to the right of the trees".

You can follow us on X here.

Dr. Mark Shanahan

Dr. Mark Shanahan

Some places have already had more rain than January average

BBC Weather

The new month may be just five days old, but some places have already had more rain than their January average.

More rain is expected today in the form of showers – however, these won’t make the current flooding any worse with small overall accumulations of rain.

High pressure takes over next week so it will become mainly dry, allowing time for flood waters to clear.

Getty Images

Villagers cleaning up after their home is flooded

People in Steventon, Oxfordshire have been cleaning up their homes after heavy rainfall flooded the area.

One couple in the village are dealing with the effects of flooding for the second time since 2007.

Couple's house flooded for the second time since 2007

Residents unblock drains in flood-hit village

Katharine Da Costa

BBC South

BBC

Nikki Bolton woke to find her kitchen flooded

The situation is bad here in the Oxfordshire village of Steventon following the heavy rain in the wake of Storm Henk.

There is no road closure and people are driving through too fast causing a wake along Hanney Street splashing residents who are trying to unblock the drains themselves.

They feel abandoned by the local authority.

Nikki Bolton has lived here for 20 years, this is the second time she’s been flooded - last time was in 2007 when it took six months to fix her ground floor.

She woke up at midnight to three inches of flood water in her kitchen. She’s been up all night trying to get the water out of her home.

Neighbours here are concerned that development in the area could make flooding worse and that plans for a reservoir nearby will only intensify the problem.

BBC

Residents unblocked drains

BBC

What to do if your house has been flooded

Gem O'Reilly

Live reporter

We've been hearing from people all over the country about the impact the flooding has had on their homes, with many saying their contents has been destroyed.

But what are the advised steps to take if this has happened to you? We've put some together for you:

1. Call your insurance provider as soon as possible. They should be able to advise on any necessary emergency accommodation.

2. An initial assessment of the damage is super important and a 'loss adjuster' will be appointed to evaluate your claim from your insurer.

3. Then cleaning and stripping out will be organised by your loss adjuster. This work should start within four weeks of being in contact with them.

4. You will then need to ensure you disinfect and dry your home. A drying company should be appointed by your insurer. This can take from a few weeks to several months.

5. Then the repair and reconstruction should begin after you get a drying certificate from your drying company. Your loss adjuster will appoint a builder to do the repair and reconstruction work.

6. The one you'll be most glad to hear, moving back into your home. Your insurer or loss adjuster will discuss with you when you can return home, for some this can be weeks, for others it can take months.

The Association of British Insurers is sending out advice today to hundreds of insurance providers, you can read more here.

BBC

Trains cancelled after station floods

Aerial footage shows flooding across Oxford

Rivers burst their banks in Oxfordshire

Twenty-eight flood warnings remain in Oxfordshire, with dozens of properties across the county underwater following yesterday's heavy rain in the wake of Storm Henk.

Getty Images

A car is left partially submerged after the Thames burst its banks at Wallingford.

Getty Images

Islip resident Doreen Cole in her flooded garden after the River Cherwell burst its banks earlier

Getty Images

Days of heavy rainfall have exacerbated conditions in already saturated parts of Oxfordshire

Newbury station under water

Allen Sinclair

BBC South Today

It's immediatley obvious why there are no trains running through Newbury station today - as I look at the tracks, all four are submerged.

Outside the station there is evidence of the heavy rain we had last night. Drains are bubbling up, spilling water and, unfortunately, sewage across the road towards the entrance to the station.

Two Thames Water tankers are busy pumping away this surface water. It will be some time before it's clear.

Richard Garvie

Trains were stopped when Newbury Station began to flood on Thursday

'The car just literally died'

Tristan Pascoe

BBC Radio Solent political reporter

BBC

Anthony Allcock was forced to abandon his car under the bridge

Anthony Allcock from Barton-on-Sea was driving to collect his daughter from Brockenhurst station when his BMW X3 broke down in floodwater under a rail bridge on Thursday evening.

As he returned to retrieve his abandoned car, he told me what had happened last night.

He said: “The roads were very flooded, but another vehicle had come through so I thought ‘it can’t be that bad’ –

"I didn’t think for a minute I’d have any issues with it.

“The car just literally died.I jumped into the water. It was almost waste high at that point.

“It was a mess here last night. I’m not happy, but these things happen – one minute I’m driving to collect my daughter, the next minute I’m swimming."

Aerial footage shows flooding across Oxford

Drone pictures from Thom Airs Media have captured the extent of flooding across Oxford this morning.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Thom wrote: "Spot Port Meadow in the distance - looks like Farmoor!"

Aerial footage shows flooding across Oxford

Can I still travel on GWR trains today?

Jenny Kumah

BBC South West England Correspondent

Rail services into the south west continue to face disruption due to flooding - but it is still possible to travel into the region.

Great Western Railway (GWR) say services between London into Plymouth and Penzance are reduced from two an hour to one an hour.

Services between Reading and Taunton are cancelled, but it’s possible to get to those destinations by using trains via Bristol - this will add around 40 minutes to your journey.

The GWR website says services between Swindon and Bristol Parkway and the route between Didcot Parkway and Swindon are cancelled.

South Western Railway (SWR) says a landslip at Crewkerne mean trains are unable to run between Exeter St David’s and Yeovil Junction.

The Liskeard to Looe branch line in Cornwall which was closed because of flooding yesterday has reopened this morning.

Abandoned vehicles after evening downpour

This was the scene in Poles Lane near Otterborne in Hampshire earlier.

The area had the highest total rainfall recorded in the country yesterday - 35.2mm.

Peter Dudgeon captured this image of abandoned cars blocking the road as floodwaters subsided on Friday morning.

Peter Dudgeon