BBC Shropshire

A woman in Ludlow has been left in tears after her home flooded while she was at work at the weekend.

The lady, who didn't want to be identified, said she'd lived in the town all her life but had never seen flooding this bad.

"I've been here nearly 50 years and I'm just so gutted, because I've only been in my house for 12 months," she said.

The woman added it was frustrating watching people take photos of her flooded home on Temeside.

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

Emergency workers are continuing to ferry residents to safety from properties in the Hinton area of Hereford.

People were first warned to leave their homes earlier as a severe flood warning was issued for the River Wye in the city.

BBC Hereford and Worcester reporter Nicola Goodwin is working from home today.... with good reason.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Our local newspapers have been covering the flooding situation in their areas.

• The Hereford Times said police were advising residents in flood-hit areas to evacuate, external
• Roads across Worcester are closed today due to flooding, external, the Worcester News reports
• While the Shropshire Star's said a village in the county is cut off by floodwater, external

At least 30 homes have been flooded in Ludlow with water in one case up to the level of kitchen worktops, according to a local councillor.

Andy Boddington's posted on his website, external to add that the River Teme peaked just under the highest level recorded in 2007.

He also shared a response from Shropshire Council's chief executive to say there's no specific government funding for flooding victims in Shropshire.

Two people that got swept away in flood water near Tenbury Wells on Sunday had stopped and stepped out of a vehicle, West Mercia Police said.

The woman who went missing near Easham Bridge is believed to have died, while a man was rescued and remains in hospital.

Assistant Chief Constable Geoff Wessell said: "Two people did go into the water and got swept away.

"They stopped and got out of the car because of the water and then got caught up into more of a stream of water that took them away.

"It absolutely illustrates - do not drive into water, do not go into water, it's far too dangerous."

BBC Shropshire

A woman who has helped several drivers stuck in floodwater in Shropshire said she had struggled to get in touch with Shropshire Council for help on Sunday.

Jane Allsop lives on the B4367 between Broome and Clungunford, near Clun, and said she also managed to clear one blocked drain.

She added: "Unfortunately I haven't been able to get to the grids on three other sections of flooding to try and clear them with a spade and I've failed to get any help really from the local council.

"It would be really good to have a helpline that actually works, where we could contact Shropshire Council. It would be excellent if we could get hold of somebody."

Shropshire Council's chief executive admitted this morning to BBC Shropshire that teams had been "overwhelmed" by the weekend's flooding but vowed to help individuals more from today.

BBC Shropshire

Floodwaters have breached the walls at a car park in Shrewsbury.

Earlier, NCP said there were 80 cars on the upper level of its car park on Wyle Cop that needed moving.

Water is now starting to surround some vehicles.

Frankwell and St Julian's Friars car parks are also shut in Shrewsbury, with flood defences up in Frankwell.

Image source, Google

While Birmingham and the Black Country appear to have missed the worst of the flooding, a close eye is being kept on the rivers Tame and Blythe in the area.

Image source, Environment Agency

There's a flood warning covering the River Blythe at Blyth End, near Sutton Coldfield,, external and flood alerts on the Upper Tame around Walsall and West Bromwich and the River Cole through Yardley and Moseley.

With more showers forecast, the Environment Agency said it expected more flooding over the next few hours.

BBC Weather Watchers

Flooding in Staffordshire following Storm Dennis appears to have been mostly in and around Stafford and Lichfield.

Here are three photos from BBC Weather Watchers in Penkridge, Stafford and Stowe.

See more of your Storm Dennis flood photos, external on the BBC Midlands Facebook page.

Image source, Hazelnut

Image source, Jeff

Image source, Dodger

This is the current scene in Hereford, with water levels that Dave Throup from the Environment Agency described as "just unbelievable".

Image source, Environment Agency

Image source, Environment Agency

Image source, Environment Agency

River levels are now the same as the floods in 2007, he added.

"Sadly many homes and businesses are flooding."

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man rescued from floodwater near Tenbury Wells on Sunday is in a stable condition in hospital today, the ambulance service has said.

Emergency services were called to the river near Eastham Bridge after reports of a man and woman in the water.

The man was airlifted to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital after being rescued.

But the ambulance service said, external later in the day the emergency services took the "difficult decision" to call off the search for the woman.

That search has continued this morning although West Mercia Police said it feared she was dead.

Several attractions have said they're closed or partially closed today because of flooding following Storm Dennis.

They include the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, and Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury.

Andrew Marston
BBC Hereford and Worcester

Water is now touching Victoria Bridge in Hereford, as levels on the River Wye continue to rise.

One city resident has told me he's lived here for 70 years and never seen the river this high.

Local photographer for the Hereford Times Nick Evans described the scene as "unprecedented".

"I'm 53 and I've never seen anything like it," he said.

West Mercia Police said it had received reports of people removing Road Closed signs.

As a result, people are continuing to drive through floods.

"For your own safety, do not drive through floodwater, the force said, external.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Shropshire

Shropshire Council has defended itself over criticism it didn't give people enough information about the flooding situation in the county over the weekend.

Compared with councils in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Telford & Wrekin, less information seemed to be shared on Shropshire Council's website or social media about road closures, evacuations and the extent of flooding - that was despite a major incident being declared and the Environment Agency saying there was a "risk to life".

Callers to BBC Radio Shropshire also complained about delays in providing support on the ground, a lack of access to sandbags and no answer on the council's advertised Highways flood line.

Clive Wright, Shropshire Council's chief executive, described it as an "unprecedented weekend" with the worst flooding centred around Ludlow, Clun and Ashford Carbonel.

He said teams had faced a lot of demand for help over the past two days.

"The priorities are to first protect life, the next priority is to protect major infrastructure and then the third priority is around assisting people, but obviously things yesterday, we were overwhelmed by the first two," he told BBC Shropshire.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

Issac and Bear are among Tenbury Wells residents who've spent the night at a rescue centre in the town.

Both said the ordeal was "pretty scary".

“Our house got flooded so we had to get on a boat to get rescued and then the fireman picked us up because the water was too deep to walk in and then we went in the Land Rover to the high school," said Issac.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

While the worst of the flooding appears to be in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, other parts of the region have been seeing an impact from Storm Dennis.

This was the River Weaver in Nantwich, Cheshire, over the weekend:

This was the scene in Ludlow this morning after the heavy rainfall of Storm Dennis caused the River Teme to flood.

Of the five severe flood warnings , externalin place in England, four are for the Teme, including in Ludlow, while the fifth is on the River Wye at Blackmarstone in Hereford.

The Environment Agency said further rain was expected in the next 12 hours.

The last 24 hours have been "unprecedented" for the Shropshire Fire and Rescue service according to group manager Jon Temple.

He said the control room had received 300 calls, mostly in the Ludlow area, with crews also supporting colleagues in Hereford and Worcester.

"We've had to transport people from their homes to higher grounds or safer premises," he said.

Mr Temple said rescuing stranded motorists had also been a challenge with some people ignoring road closures and getting their vehicles stuck in floodwater.

This was the scene in Ludlow last night, filmed by Let's Go Ludlow.