A number of roads that were under water yesterday have reopened in Shrewsbury this afternoon.

Workmen have cleared Chester Street, Cross Street and Smithfield and have also taken the opportunity to do some emergency road repairs in Coleham, before opening the road there.

Shropshire Council says the park and ride service into Shrewsbury will be free until Saturday 14 March, to encourage people back into the town.

The main bridge in Worcester has fully reopened to traffic this afternoon., external

Image source, Worcestershire County Council

The crossing, along with New Road, was shut yesterday by Worcestershire County Council as floodwaters rose.

But while there are still seven flood warnings covering the city and surrounding areas, the Environment Agency said river levels peaked this morning., external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Businesses along the River Severn in Worcester are counting the cost of more flooding this week, following the initial floods from Storm Dennis.

Image source, Worcester Golf Range

Among the firms affected is the Worcester Golf Range which is currently underwater.

Assistant manager Joe Kibblewhite told BBC Hereford and Worcester they'd been forced to close again, making things "not easy" financially.

"There's more water than I've personally ever seen on the golf range," he said.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A woman forced to leave her home due to flooding in Bewdley, Worcestershire, says she's confident the town "will get over this disaster".

Image source, Getty Images

Sally Yardley was among dozens who had to leave their homes on Tuesday night when the River Severn rose over defences in the Beales Corner area.

The 64-year-old is staying with family in Kidderminster while she waits for the floodwaters to drop.

There's more to worry about for people that have been flooded than the damage to their homes.

There's bad news tomorrow on the weather front for people living along the already-swollen River Severn in the West Midlands.

Image source, Met Office

The Met Office has a yellow warning for rain across much of Wales from 06:00 until Saturday morning. , external

The reason that's bad news for Shropshire and Worcestershire is the River Severn starts in Wales.

The Environment Agency says it's worried the rain could feed into the river in the west, and end up bringing more flooding to the local counties., external

Image source, BBC/Google

Skips have been delivered to the St Julian's Friars area of Shrewsbury so that residents and businesses can clear out flood-damaged items.

Shropshire Council, external and the Environment Agency, external are also giving out advice on how to clean up after the flooding.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Flooding has caused £30k worth of damage to Darwin's Townhouse in Shrewsbury.

BBC Shropshire

The government is promising more flood defences for West Midlands communities blighted by the fallout from recent storms.

Hundreds of homes along rivers including the Severn and Wye have been flooded, with record levels recorded.

Image source, PA Media

On a visit to Ironbridge, where barriers buckled yesterday, Environment Secretary George Eustice said the government would look to make improvements.

He said: "We'll be spending over £4bn in the next five years on flood defences. Some of that is going to be on nature-based solutions upstream to try to hold water uphill so vulnerable communities like this on the Severn are less likely to be affected, but there will also be some hard defences put in place as well."

Mr Eustice refused to be drawn on where projects would be backed and said there would be assessments based on flood risk and the total of number of homes potentially protected.

Environment Secretary George Eustice has defended the government's response to the floods on a visit to Ironbridge this afternoon, saying the right decisions had been made.

Critics, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, have accused the prime minister of "hiding" by not visiting the hardest-hit communities.

Mr Eustice said Boris Johnson had told him to lead on the issue when he was appointed to the ministerial role two weeks ago.

Image source, PA Media

Mr Eustice said: "I've kept [the prime minister] regularly informed with what's happening. The important thing is, have we made the right decisions in a timely way and I think the answer to that is 'yes'."

In the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Corbyn said the government "refuses to acknowledge the scale of the problem", and accused Mr Johnson of being a "part-time prime minister" who is only "keen to pose for cameras during an election".

In response, Mr Johnson said he was "very proud of the response the government has mounted", adding it was working "flat out" to help people.

Meanwhile, Patrick Burns, the BBC's political editor for the Midlands, writes: "There's no question many of those suffering the worst effects are demanding more government investment in flood protection. But does this translate into a genuine demand for senior politicians to come a-calling?"

You can read Patrick's latest blog here.

A leisure centre could be closed for months after flooding caused "extensive" damage.

Halo Leisure, the social enterprise charity which runs it, said , externalspecialists had been called to Hereford Leisure Pool to work on restoring power and services.

But the charity said it could take at least eight weeks and promised not to charge people for lessons they cannot attend.

It also said its Ross Swimming Pool in Ross on Wye was shut after pumps were "fully submerged" in river water.

The estimate for that site reopening is 9 March.

People are being urged not to move barriers or warning signs on flooded roads.

Telford and Wrekin Council said this car became stranded after another party removed a barrier at the spot.

Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

The floodwaters may be subsiding in Herefordshire but the impact on communities has been enormous and will be felt for months to come.

It’s estimated by the Environment Agency that as many as 500 homes and businesses were damaged during the floods last week when the River Wye reached its highest recorded level.

Many people hadn't been flooded before and told me they had no time to move any furniture or possessions before they were evacuated.

Families have been staying with friends or in hotels for two weeks and the disruption and stress it’s caused is enormous.

Doctors and people working in medicine have spoken to me and said they’ve already seen the effect it’s had on people’s physical - and mental health.

Not far from Bridgnorth in Shropshire, police officers have been visiting people living on a flooded caravan park at Hampton Loade.

They've reported the residents there are "coping quite well considering the conditions".

Image source, West Mercia Police

The environment secretary George Eustice is in Ironbridge.

His junior minister Rebecca Pow had been due to visit the Shropshire town where the Severn is pressuring flood barriers, but she pulled out this morning due to illness.

Mr Eustice is set to visit Shrewsbury later this afternoon.

Should our politicians visit flood-hit communities?

The Sabrina footbridge in Worcester has not reopened, Worcestershire County Council has clarified after saying earlier its closure was due to be lifted.

The authority is now telling people on Twitter it is still shut., external

This photo, taken this lunchtime, shows floodwater still around the footbridge...

Image source, Max Thomas/BBC

The River Severn in Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire, is not expected to peak as high as it did last week, the Environment Agency (EA) says., external

Image source, WindyWeaver

The town is the next major hotspot for flooding downriver from Worcester, where, the EA says, levels have peaked.

The EA is also keeping a close eye on Bewdley where the river's fallen slightly but did pour over the top of some of the town's defences earlier in the week.

Photos reveal the extent of flooding in Shropshire and Worcestershire.

This was the view of Worcester this morning along the Severn.

Much of the city near the river remains flooded.

Seven flood warnings are in place for the city and the surrounding area., external

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media