Exeter Airport reopens after flash flooding

Staff "pulled out all the stops" to get the airport open

An airport which had to close after it was hit by flash flooding has reopened.

Exeter Airport closed at 14:30 (BST) on Sunday and cancelled its remaining flights after it said flooding had affected the terminal.

A spokesperson said airport staff had worked hard overnight to clean up and they were looking forward to welcoming passengers back.

Heavy downpours caused widespread problems across Devon on Sunday, with homes and businesses flooded.

An amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of Devon and Somerset was in place on Sunday afternoon, with a yellow warning in other parts of the South West.

Almost a month's rain fell on Sunday at the Birds Hill rain gauge on the edge of Exmoor.

32mm of rain fell at the airport in just an hour

Steve Wiltshire, Exeter Airport managing director, said: "I've never seen rain like it and it happened so suddenly.

"We were flooded to a depth of a few centimetres and we had no option but to close while we cleaned up.

He thanked airport staff for a "massive team effort" to get it reopened for the first flight on Monday morning and to Tool Care Hire in Exeter who opened "especially for us and loaned us dehumidifiers and water vacs".

Mr Wiltshire added that none of the critical systems were damaged by the flood.