The Liberal Democrat group on Shropshire Council is demanding to know why its chief executive was removed in what it called "the middle of the greatest crisis that the county has faced for a number of years".

Clive Wright agreed to go after members of the ruling Conservative group voted to ask him to quit, with his response to flooding among the reasons, according to Radio Shropshire political reporter Joanne Gallacher.

The Lib Dems said it was "totally the wrong time to be without a chief executive" and asked to know how much the move would cost.

The Environment Agency is updating river levels across the country every hour and these are the two charts showing Shrewsbury (above) and Ironbridge (below).

As you can see, the rate of increase at both gauges has been relatively slow, but if the Severn continues to rise at this rate, or if there is a sudden surge, levels could hit new records.

Image source, Environment Agency

Image source, Environment Agency

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning , externalfor snow and ice tomorrow.

It said we can expect "wintery showers" and disruption to transport across the West Midlands.

Image source, Ken M

The fire service boat team has arrived in Ironbridge and is setting up its equipment, in case there are any incidents tonight.

And Adam Brookes, from Telford and Wrekin Council, said it also had staff on standby to help out, if needed.

People using portable pumps to clear flooded rooms are being urged to be careful.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said the exhaust fumes from their generators can contain carbon monoxide, which can be dangerous in a confined space.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue

Worcester News

Here are three of the stories from the Worcester News today:

• Bridge closed this morning due to flooding fears, external
• 'Serious crash' closes busy road, external
• Man accused of violently murdering his great uncle, external

If the River Severn does come over the top of Ironbridge's flood defences, it could happen very quickly and the water would be very fast-flowing, the Environment Agency is warning.

It repeated its plea for people to stay clear of the Wharfage and EA spokesman Tim Norton (pictured below) added: "We don't want to be evacuating people in the middle of the night."

The river has now risen to about 6.7m and the barrier was designed to cope with a level of up to 6.8m.

It could reach up to 7m by the morning.

Special design features help keep water out, and limit the damage if it does get in.

While river levels continue to rise in towns including Shrewsbury and Ironbridge, they have started to fall further upstream near the point where the rivers Severn and Vyrnwy meet.

The Environment Agency warned the flooding is likely to remain for a number of days though, with more rain forecast.

A flood alert remains in place., external

There are now 425 tonnes of water passing through Shrewsbury every second and the Environment Agency expects the Severn to peak at its highest recorded level.

Spokesman Chris Bainger said it was a test of the town's infrastructure and that people have to remain vigilant.

Shropshire Council has made more than 1,500 sandbags available in Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth over the past couple of days.

Supplies are also being offered in Ludlow and Craven Arms and the authority said it would increase its stock if there was demand.

Image source, Getty Images

Since the flooding started, the council said it had distributed approximately 10,200 sandbags.

It has also arranged for the Baptist Church in Claremont Street to be open overnight for rough sleepers in Shrewsbury.

Nick Southall
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

Water coming up through the drains in the Abbey Foregate area of Shrewsbury has flooded the bowling green, which is "concerning", a local businessman said.

Paul Monahan has owned the Peach Tree restaurant since 1995 "through thick and thin, winds floods and rain".

The flooded bowling green is always a "sign that something might happen", he said.

"Now I have to keep a constant eye on the drains because that's where it comes from not from the Severn."

The water levels in Ironbridge have now exceeded those seen last week and could reach up to 7m early tomorrow morning.

The flood barrier on the Wharfage was designed to hold back water up to 6.8m high, so if it goes higher than that, water would start coming over the top, external.

Telford and Wrekin Council said people in all the homes at risk had been warned and advised to move out, with free accommodation being offered at the nearby Tontine Hotel.

It also warned this flooding was likely to be prolonged, meaning the likely closure of a number of roads, external for several days.

The closure of railway lines in and out of Shrewsbury station will continue until river levels start to drop, Network Rail has said.

It expects that disruption to last until at least the end of today, but with the River Severn is expected to reach a peak tonight and remain high for several days, that could continue for longer.

The lines have been closed for "safety reasons" since 14:00 today, because high water levels under the Severn railway bridge.

The only trains running have been those on the line between Shrewsbury and Chester or Crewe.

Temperatures in Shropshire are forecast to fall this evening, bringing snow to the county.

And we're already seeing the first snow in the south of the county.

These pictures were taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Ludlow and Rushbury.

Image source, Shropshire Lass

Image source, Peter Steggles

The floodwater in Shrewsbury is now just a few inches away from getting into the Hop and Friar pub, near the English Bridge.

And the difference this can mean in clean-up costs to a business like this can double, so staff will face a nervous evening, with the river level expected to rise further.

The water is already into its cellar. If it rises another five inches, it will enter the ground floor.

Riverside car parks in Worcester are all closed as flood levels rise in the city.

Image source, Worcester City Council

Fire crews are trying to help the handful of people who didn't move their cars in time, said the city council.

At Welsh Bridge in Shrewsbury, the River Severn is nearing the highest level on record, according to the latest Environment Agency data.

The level has nearly doubled in the last 72 hours, jumping from 2.8 metres at lunchtime on 22 February to 5.07m recorded at 12:45.

Shropshire's Wildlife Trust is calling for a "natural" solution to flooding in the county and said plans for a north west relief road around Shrewsbury should be scrapped.

It said the money due to be spent on the "unnecessary road" could be better used on "flood plain forests and permanent pasture" to soak up floodwater.

The trust also spoke out against the idea of adding a dam to the planned relief road, championed last week by the Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski.

It said people living in villages upstream, which are likely to see more floodwater as a result, "may wish to speak to their MP about this".

Shrewsbury looks very different today and the water levels are expected to rise further this evening, either coming up through the drains or from the river itself.

Here, Paul Roberts from Tanners Wine Merchants navigates the floods with a coracle.

And this is the road that leads to the shopping centre car parks in Shrewsbury. It's just a few metres from the river and you can just make out the town centre police station there too.