Herefordshire and Worcestershire drivers rescued from floods

BBC Weather Watcher Whitefoot uploaded a photo showing the extent of flooding in Worcester

More than 40 people caught out by rising flood waters have been rescued from their vehicles in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

More than 30 flood warnings were in place in the West Midlands on Thursday, including on the Severn, Avon, Leam and Teme.

The M50 was partially shut and there were no West Midlands Railway trains between Great Malvern and Hereford.

A number of homes have also been flooded, fire crews said.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue said a number of vehicles had been seen driving around road closure signs.

Flood barriers are up in Bewdley, Kempsey and Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire, as well as in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge in Shropshire, and in Hereford.

The temporary barriers installed in Ironbridge on Wednesday have been remodelled after major flooding last winter saw them pushed across the road.

• Latest news from the West Midlands

In all, 15 flood warnings were added on the River Severn in the region on Thursday - 10 in Worcestershire and five in Shropshire.

There were also flood warnings on the River Avon in Warwickshire and Worcestershire, the Leam in Warwickshire, the Teme in Worcestershire and the Frome at Bishop's Frome, Herefordshire.

About 30 flood warnings are in force in the West Midlands, almost a third of all those in England

The M50 eastbounds between the A449 and junction 1 for Tewkesbury was earlier closed due to heavy rain flooding the motorway, but it has since reopened.

The westbound carriageway was also shut between the M5 and junction 2 for Ledbury, before later reopening.

Heavy rain on Wednesday afternoon caused damage to rail infrastructure, meaning trains could not run between Great Malvern and Hereford.

With local roads also flooded, no road replacement transport was available either, but the line was operating again by 11:00 GMT on Thursday.

More rain forecast

There has been a reduced service in the afternoon on Great Western Railway between Hereford and Oxford due to flooding.

Flood barriers went up in Ironbridge on Wednesday

John Philpin, from the Environment Agency said: "There is that huge chance that people will come across standing water or small watercourses and streams that have broken their banks in response to this rain.

"At the moment I think Christmas is going to be a little bit of respite.

"Towards the weekend there is anticipated to be more... rain coming in and I believe that the long-term forecast remains unsettled."