Liverpool flood deaths: Married couple who died named by police

Elaine and Philip Marco got trapped inside a Mercedes in deep floodwater

A couple who died after becoming trapped in their car in a flooded road in Liverpool have been named.

Elaine and Philip Marco, 75 and 77, died after getting stuck inside a black Mercedes in deep floodwater, in Queens Drive, Mossley Hill, just before 21:00 BST on Saturday.

Their family said they were "devastated and heartbroken", adding "our only comfort is knowing that they were together to the very end".

Merseyside Police is investigating.

A statement from the pair's relatives said: "We are devastated and heartbroken by the sudden loss of Elaine and Philip Marco.

"They were much-loved parents to four children and 10 grandchildren. The family are arriving overseas from America and Australia to mourn their loss.

"They were due to celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary next week and our only comfort is knowing that they were together to the very end."

Officers were called to Queens Drive on Saturday night

Passers-by fought to help the pair, who were taken to hospital but then pronounced dead.

Amateur footage filmed in the area appears to show water gushing on to the road - which dips under a bridge.

Met Office data shows heavy rain at more than 32mm (1.25 inches) an hour was falling close to where it happened.

A spokesman for water company United Utilities said the incident was not due to a burst pipe.

Police are appealing for anyone who was in Queens Drive and saw what happened, or stopped to try and help, to come forward.

A file has been passed to the coroner.

People living in the area told the Liverpool Echo Queens Drive has been problematic for some time

Liverpool's deputy lord mayor Richard Kemp said he had raised concerns about flooding in the area for about 20 years.

In a letter to the council, he said short-term measures had been carried out, such as flushing out the drains, but "this has never been enough".

"The major problem is that the core of the drainage system is more than 150 years old and is clearly inadequate," he said.

He called for action including a better drainage system, better lighting and an electric warning system for drivers.

A Liverpool City Council spokesman said highways staff had assisted the police, adding: "Our thoughts are with those involved and their families.

"The road is expected to remain closed for some time while an investigation takes place, and motorists are asked to continue to avoid the area."

People living in the area told the BBC the road has been problematic for decades.

The road, pictured here in 2010, has been hit by floods for decades, residents have said

A photo taken by one resident shows vehicles stuck in standing water the day after a flood in 2010

Lorraine Waters said floodwater had been a "constant issue".

She took photos of flooding on Queens Drive twice in July 2010 showing cars stuck in water.

"This shows how long this problem has been going and for many years before, too," she said.

Ian Serjeant, 74, said: "It is not a new problem. Flooding under the bridge has been a problem for many years.

"As a schoolboy in the 1950s I remember seeing a lorry driver standing on his cab roof, the lorry almost totally submerged.

"It's very deceptive how steep the road goes down."