Dramatic footage reveal the extent of flooding plaguing the city of Worcester
Dramatic aerial pictures reveal the shocking extent of flooding in the city of Worcester with every sports field and most roads under several feet of waterThe River Severn reached its highest ever level of 5.77m (19ft) on Thursday (27/2) after another night of heavy rain - with more downfalls forecast over the next few days.Aerial snaps of the city show Worcestershire Country Cricket ground and several rugby and football pitches flooded.Only the tops of goal posts were visible on several pitches near the River Severn illustrating the depth of the water.Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said 500 tonnes of water - the equivalent to six HGVs - was flowing through the city every second.Ade Cartwright, 50, and his family were forced to leave their home in Diglis Avenue when it became apparent they would flood again.He said: "My wife and I left, along with most of the neighbours.
The city council have put us up in the Fownes Hotel. "We are managing but it is difficult living in one room together, 24 hours a day."Last weekend it came into the house, luckily we were prepared, once the water receded we managed to clear it up with a few friends within four hours."Now it has happened again we have decided to leave. "We can't do anything until the levels drop and I don't envisage that happening until the weekend."The floodwater is also creeping closer to homes in Severn Terrace where a large number of elderly people live. Kim Weston said she was concerned for her parents' wellbeing as water threatened to consume the elderly couple's home.She said: "The water is dangerously close to the properties, it has never been this close before. "I am very concerned that my parents' house will flood."The road has been closed but cars continue to speed down it to get to Castle Street. "It is causing the water to ripple and splash up the brickwork.
I wish they would put a proper blockade to stop people driving through the floodwater.
It is making matters worse."We have received no official advice about what to do in this situation, I feel like we have been left to fend for ourselves a bit."It is really disappointing.
I managed to get hold of the city council and asked for some sandbags only to find out they don't provide them. "If we do flood we have no precautions in place.
It is a very poor show."Worcester City Council said they did not provide sandbags because they were not effective in protecting against floods and could become contaminated by unhygienic floodwater.A spokesperson said: "Our recommended approach for flood alleviation is through alterations to homes such as raising floors and the installation of barriers. "Financial support for these measures is potentially available through the Flood Support Funding scheme."The city's Tory MP Robin Walker tweeted: "Awful to see the Severn hitting all-time record highs overnight & early this morning in #Worcester."Will be pressing colleagues in Govt to make sure help is swift & properly funded & to recognise that construction on or near flood plains needs to stop."Meanwhile in Ironbridge a severe danger to life notification remains in place after dozens of residents were evacuated when flood barriers buckled under the force of the water.Several bridges and barriers are also due to be inspected by Shropshire Council over fears the floods have eroded them making them unsafe.
Dramatic aerial pictures reveal the shocking extent of flooding in the city of Worcester with every sports field and most roads under several feet of waterThe River Severn reached its highest ever level of 5.77m (19ft) on Thursday (27/2) after another night of heavy rain - with more downfalls forecast over the next few days.Aerial snaps of the city show Worcestershire Country Cricket ground and several rugby and football pitches flooded.Only the tops of goal posts were visible on several pitches near the River Severn illustrating the depth of the water.Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said 500 tonnes of water - the equivalent to six HGVs - was flowing through the city every second.Ade Cartwright, 50, and his family were forced to leave their home in Diglis Avenue when it became apparent they would flood again.He said: "My wife and I left, along with most of the neighbours.
The city council have put us up in the Fownes Hotel.
"We are managing but it is difficult living in one room together, 24 hours a day."Last weekend it came into the house, luckily we were prepared, once the water receded we managed to clear it up with a few friends within four hours."Now it has happened again we have decided to leave.
"We can't do anything until the levels drop and I don't envisage that happening until the weekend."The floodwater is also creeping closer to homes in Severn Terrace where a large number of elderly people live.
Kim Weston said she was concerned for her parents' wellbeing as water threatened to consume the elderly couple's home.She said: "The water is dangerously close to the properties, it has never been this close before.
"I am very concerned that my parents' house will flood."The road has been closed but cars continue to speed down it to get to Castle Street.
"It is causing the water to ripple and splash up the brickwork.
I wish they would put a proper blockade to stop people driving through the floodwater.
It is making matters worse."We have received no official advice about what to do in this situation, I feel like we have been left to fend for ourselves a bit."It is really disappointing.
I managed to get hold of the city council and asked for some sandbags only to find out they don't provide them.
"If we do flood we have no precautions in place.
It is a very poor show."Worcester City Council said they did not provide sandbags because they were not effective in protecting against floods and could become contaminated by unhygienic floodwater.A spokesperson said: "Our recommended approach for flood alleviation is through alterations to homes such as raising floors and the installation of barriers.
"Financial support for these measures is potentially available through the Flood Support Funding scheme."The city's Tory MP Robin Walker tweeted: "Awful to see the Severn hitting all-time record highs overnight & early this morning in #Worcester."Will be pressing colleagues in Govt to make sure help is swift & properly funded & to recognise that construction on or near flood plains needs to stop."Meanwhile in Ironbridge a severe danger to life notification remains in place after dozens of residents were evacuated when flood barriers buckled under the force of the water.Several bridges and barriers are also due to be inspected by Shropshire Council over fears the floods have eroded them making them unsafe.
