Hampshire motorists freed from submerged cars

A car was stuck on the A33 following severe flooding

Fire crews have freed several motorists amid flooding in Hampshire.

They rescued two people, one disabled and one elderly, who were trapped inside a partially submerged vehicle on Portchester Lane, Southwick.

Two more people had to be pulled from a car on Boarhunt Road. A driver whose car was stuck in a ford on Purbrook Heath Road on Portsdown Hill, near Purbrook, was also rescued.

Both flooded lanes of the A33 near Basingstoke are to reopen on Tuesday.

Police said there had been severe flooding under the railway bridge on the road in Chineham between the roundabout at Chineham Business Park and the Tesco roundabout.

BBC reporter Matt Treacy said one car was abandoned under the bridge with its exhaust pipe "completely submerged".

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said the two people on Portchester Lane were treated for "shock and cold" after their car was pushed clear of the deep water.

Station manager for road safety Clyde Evans said: "The heavy rain has left many roads flooded and created extremely hazardous driving conditions in some parts of the county."

The flooding under the bridge in Hampshire is about 90 to 100ft (27 to 30m) in length.

Family towed

The reporter added he saw a second car "being towed out by one of the recovery services with a family inside it".

Hampshire County Council said the northbound lane of the A339 at Pit Hall Farm, near Ibworth, had also flooded.

The council put in temporary traffic lights to control speeds through rush hour.

The railway bridge on the A33 at Chineham could be closed until Tuesday, police have said

Other sites that are flooded are Milkingpen Lane, Old Basing, Oakley Lane, Oakley and Wade Road, Basingstoke - these roads are not closed but motorists have been advised to drive with caution.

Replacement bus services are running on South West Trains between Fareham and Eastleigh due to flooding at Hedge End.

Eastrop Park in Basingstoke, which the River Loddon passes through, has also closed due to the heavy rainfall.

The floodwater around the park's pond posed a danger to people, especially children, a Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council spokeswoman said.

She added community safety officers were patrolling the park.

Basingstoke residents have also been advised to avoid Glebe Gardens off Churchill Way and Victory Park, next to Victory roundabout, due to flooding.

Both the upper and lower part of the River Loddon have been put on amber flood alert.

Severe weather warnings of heavy rain and flood alerts are in place across parts of England and Wales.

The Environment Agency has issued an amber warning for rainfall across the South East.