Get set for another deluge! Map reveals path of storm set to bring TWO INCHES of rain on Thursday compounding misery for villages already submerged by floodwater

Yellow weather warning in effect across southern England until tomorrow

Published: 00:34, 4 January 2024 | Updated: 00:35, 4 January 2024

Communities across the south of England have been warned to expect further deluges after Storm Henk wreaked havoc across the country earlier this week.

A yellow weather warning for rain is in effect from 12pm today until 3pm on Friday, with motorists warned to expect flooded roads, with delays also expected on local train and bus services the breadth of the south coast.

The Met Office [3] warning stretches from the tip of Cornwall, across Hampshire and Sussex to the furthest reaches of Kent, and reaches as far north as parts of Suffolk.

At its peak, the storm will be dropping up to 32mm (1.2in) of rain an hour - and could drop up to 50mm (1.96in) of precipitation on the worst-hit spots.

Forecasters say the impacts will be worst-felt in areas that were hit by Storm Henk, particularly where groundwater levels are high after the onslaught of heavy downpours that left homes deluged and roads cut off.

A yellow weather warning for rain is in effect from 12pm Thursday until 3am Friday - with heavy downpours expected

Some areas could see as much as 40-50mm (2ins) of rain dumped on them, days after Storm Henk caused chaos across the country

Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts remain in effect across much of the country in the aftermath of Henk and with further bad weather to come

There are also a number of flood alerts in place in Wales (pictured), alongside one flood warning in Scotland

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: 'The track of the heaviest rain remains uncertain but there is chance of 20 to 30 mm of rain falling in a 6 to 9 hour period for a portion of the warning area, with a few places seeing as much as 40-50 mm.

'Much of this rain is falling on already wet ground and therefore, impacts are more likely. Meanwhile, a stalled weather front will continue to bring rain and showers across the northeast.'

The further weather woes come after hundreds of homes across Britain suffered major flooding following Storm Henk - with schools also deluged, drivers abandoning cars and villages left cut off.

Nearly 750 flood alerts or warnings were imposed at the peak of the storm, while raw sewage was discharged by Thames Water into the river in Surrey and Berkshire which flooded footpaths.

In Worcestershire, a column of 11 abandoned vehicles lay submerged in 4ft of water on the A443 road near Lindridge after the nearby River Tame broke its banks.

The road was initially blocked by a stranded car but further drivers then also became stuck as they tried to navigate the floods and had to be rescued by firefighters.

In London, a video showed crowds working together to roll a Christmas [4] tree off a road after it was knocked over by high winds while in Warwickshire a local golf club greenkeeper was seen rescuing stranded cars.

Meanwhile, in Lincoln, pedestrians climbed along a metal fence to avoid getting their feet wet.

Elsewhere in the county, the village of Severn Stoke was cut off by flooding - with photographs showing children being evacuated, the St Denys Church graveyard underwater and staff at the Rose and Crown pub desperately pumping out water.

The National Trust [5] site White Mill, an 18th-century corn mill with original wooden machinery, was also surrounded by floodwater near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset.

Strong winds hit 94mph on Tuesday, and one motorist in his 50s from the Bath area died when a tree fell on the car he was driving in near Kemble in Gloucestershire.

Several major roads in England were closed due to flooding, while the rail network continued to be crippled by the weather yesterday, with Thameslink, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia and South Western Railway among the affected operators.

Some schools also had to shut because of flooding - including Westfield School in Leominster, Herefordshire; Brooke Hill Academy in Oakham, Rutland. It comes as:

The Energy Networks Association said 135,000 homes lost power in the storm;
Rail operators warned travel disruption was likely to continue for the rest of Wednesday;
Lincolnshire firefighters said they received 140 flood-related calls in 24 hours;
The London Fire Brigade attended more than 200 incidents related to the storm;
Leicestershire Police said homes were being hit by flooding in Loughborough.

Southern England was battered on Tuesday by winds of up to 94mph and heavy rain as the storm caused chaos for commuters and an amber 'danger to life' warning for strong gusts was issued, covering a 400-mile swathe from Norwich to Swansea.

The severe winds brought down scaffolding in Greenwich and Sutton in London [6], where Mayor Sadiq Khan [7] warned of 'potential risk to life and property'.

Also in the capital, a woman was taken to hospital after being crushed by a tree in Orpington.

Yesterday, transport delays continued after rain and strong winds from the the storm lashed large parts of the UK - with the Environment Agency imposing a whopping 331 flood warnings and 363 flood alerts across England at the storm's peak.

The Worcestershire hamlet of Severn Stoke has been completely cut off by flooding today

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

Homes in Loughborough are flooded today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Holy Trinity Church surrounded by floodwater in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire today

Thames Water are discharging sewage into the River Thames at Datchet in Berkshire today

Here is the scandal of untreated sewage overtopping from storm tanks and flowing across paths to form pools of effluent in public open space used for recreation this happens every time the River Mole rises >2.5mASD at #Horley STW! EA this has impact and is a Cat 2 pollution! pic.twitter.com/h4KHuzoLHF [8][9]

-- Simon Collins (@SirGeogy) January 2, 2024 [10]

Simon Collins, of the organisation River Mole River Watch, said the Horley treatment works near Gatwick Airport has flooded four times since Storm Ciaran hit the UK in late October

Videos on TikTok today show flooding in Shardlow, Derbyshire (left), and Leicester (right)

In Surrey , raw sewage spilled from a flooded treatment works after the storm caused the River Mole to burst its banks.

Pollution spread over a public footpath beyond the fence of the unmanned Thames Water facility.

Heavy rain across southern England led to the majority of Thames Water's storm overflows discharging sewage into rivers and groundwater.

It is likely that other water companies are also discharging more than usual but only Thames Water has published a live interactive map of its monitors on rivers.

Simon Collins, of the organisation River Mole River Watch, said the Horley treatment works near Gatwick [11] Airport has flooded four times since Storm Ciaran hit the UK in late October.

He said progress to upgrade the works is too slow and that during a tour by Thames Water he saw sludge tanks leaking, in what he described as a 'huge embarrassment' for the company.

After the flood on Tuesday he tested the water pouring through the fence and found phosphate - a pollutant found in sewage - to be 'off the scale'.

Thames Water has apologised for the pollution and said it has installed a temporary pump to clear the water while it upgrades the treatment plant in the long term.

Mr Collins said: 'What's happening at the Horley sewage works really does show a lack of investment over many years.

'Every time the river rises to about 2.5 metres above the base level of the river, we know from my calculations that the storm tanks will not discharge into the river and they will simply fill up and overflow across a service road in the sewage works but also out of the sewage works.

'It pours out of the sewage works across a public footpath down a ditch - and it really is quite a torrent when it gets going - and it ends up crossing what is dog-walking territory, open public space, very close to West Vale housing estate.'

He added that as the facility is unmanned, it is up volunteers to monitor river levels and report any pollution.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: 'We regard all discharges as unacceptable and are sorry to those affected by this. We have published plans to upgrade over 250 of our sewage treatment works (STW) and sewers including Horley STW.

'This will improve the sites' ability to treat the high volumes of incoming sewage and reduce the need for overflows during wet weather.

'In the meantime, we have installed a temporary over-pump to help reduce flooding on the footpath and will be carrying out a clean-up of the area when water levels recede.'

The company did not say how it categorised previous pollution incidents at the works but Mr Collins said one previous floods was recorded by the Environment Agency as a category 4 incident, which means it had no impact.

Only categories 1, 2 and 3 are recorded as pollution incidents and used to work out whether a water company has met its targets in reducing spillages.

Mr Collins said: 'This is clearly having an impact.

And in fact, from our reading of these, it should be really at least category 3, if not category 2, because there are major offences to public space.

'It is clearly a contaminant. We tested it for phosphate and it came out off the scale.'

Thames Water's live map shows the majority of its storm overflows discharging sewage across the region over yesterday and today, with some having been discharging since early December.

Other water companies had promised to publish similar maps by the end of 2023 but none did, according to The Times.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: 'Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us and we want to lead the way with our transparent approach to data.

'We're the first company to provide live alerts for all untreated discharges throughout our region, and this near real-time data is available to customers as a map on our website and is also available through an open data platform for third parties, such as swimming and environmental groups, to use.'

Elsewhere, photographs showed how Thames Water had been discharging sewage from their nearby Windsor Sewage Treatment Works into the River Thames in the Berkshire village of Datchet today.

The St Denys Church graveyard is flooded in the Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke today

A seven-year-old boy is rescued after the village of Severn Stoke near Worcester was cut off

The St Denys Church graveyard is flooded in the Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke today

Staff at the Rose and Crown pub in Severn Stoke, Worcestershire, are pumping out water today

The St Denys Church graveyard is flooded in the Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke today

Major flooding in the Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke which is cut off today

Staff at the Rose and Crown pub in Severn Stoke, Worcestershire, are pumping out water today

The St Denys Church graveyard is flooded in the Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke today

Staff at the Rose and Crown pub in Severn Stoke, Worcestershire, are pumping out water today

Forecasters added that it will become much colder next week with lower-than-average temperatures across much of the country. Frost is likely overnight and there is also a risk of fog and ice given the very wet ground in most areas.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a cold weather alert covering the whole of England valid from 9am this Saturday until 12pm next Tuesday.

The strongest gales were recorded at the Needles Old Battery in the Isle of Wight

Several residents have been evacuated from houseboats and caravans at Billing Aquadrome, close to the River Nene near Northampton, due to flooding caused by Storm Henk.

While a severe flood warning, meaning there is a risk to life, previously in place was downgraded to a flood warning this morning, the Environment Agency has said river levels will 'remain high for the next few days'.

Emergency services were at the scene, with residents in houseboats being taken to the shore in rubber boats after a walkway was submerged by rising water.

Robert Britchford was among the evacuated residents.

He moved to the site in 2016 and estimated that around 2,000 people have been evacuated.

He said: 'It's the second time in three years that it has flooded. I moved my cars out of the way, and I thought I would try and wait it out, because I thought it would be nice today, but no, the evacuation notice went out at 2.30pm yesterday and that was it.

'I'm a bit anxious. We felt it was coming, but we hoped it wouldn't.

Now we have to find hotels. They won't let us back on until this is all sorted, so it could be a month before we come back on.

'There are no sandbags or anything. I've got a bit of decking around mine, and that's it, so if the water goes over door level, that's my caravan gone, and I can't afford a new one.'

Firefighters rescue people from the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton today after flooding

A tree that has fallen onto a row of houses in Woolwich, South East London, pictured today

Cars are driven through floodwater on a road at Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Deluged homes in Loughborough, Leicestershire, today after the Grand Union Canal flooded

Storm Henk brought down a tree on a Lexus car in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, pictured today

A children's play park submerged in floodwater in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, today

Homeowner rows in her flooded back garden

A homeowner started rowing in her back garden in East Sussex after it flooded during Storm Henk.

Serena Schellenberg said yesterday that she was aware of historical flooding in her local area of Hellingly.

But the climate activist and environmental film-maker told BBC News [12]: 'In the past three years I have seen it getting worse and worse and something needs to be done.'

She found that water in her garden was more than knee-deep, with houses nearby lined with sandbags.

He continued: 'What's next?

I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

'You are hoping for the best, but you're fearing for the worst. They've turned the electrics off so everything in your freezer has gone, and in the sheds, how high it is will depend on whether the washing machine and tumble dryer has gone.

'But in the caravan itself, if water gets in there, you may as well scrap it and start again. That's the fear at the moment - how high has it gone?

If it has gone over door level, I am totally screwed.

'To replace my caravan now would be around GBP150,000 and I haven't got GBP150,000 lying around. I don't feel annoyed. It's the not knowing that gets to you.

You want to have a look, but we can't get on (to the site).

'It doesn't look promising at the moment so it's just a case of wait and see and hopefully we can get back on at some point.'

Mr Britchford also continued: 'I'm worried. We all are. We are not in the position where we have got somewhere to go.

When it gets to shut down, we end up in hotels or I try and see family members.

'We save up all year for it so we can stay away. You never know what is going to happen. This is the highest it has ever been.

'I am thinking now, even though I love it here, do I want to be here?

You have got amenities here, pubs here, you have only got to walk. Why should I go out of my way? We love it here, but it's just a case of not knowing what is going to happen after this.'

Eddie Hancock, a resident who lives around two miles away from Billing Aquadrome, said the high water levels were 'scary' and he had never seen the water so high in around 30 years of living in the area.

He said: 'Our house is pretty much OK as we're further over, we're up a hill, but it's drastic.

I have never, ever seen emergency services over there.

'It's worrying. I feel sorry for the poor people on Billing Aquadrome. It's mad, I wouldn't want to be over there.

It has never, ever been this bad. I thought I would come down and have a look and it is a bad. It's scary.'

Abandoned vehicles are submerged on the A443 road near Lindridge in Worcestershire today

A column of 11 abandoned vehicles is submerged on the A443 road in Worcestershire today

The A443 was initially blocked by a stranded car but further drivers then also became stuck

Cars became stuck on the A443 road in Worcestershire after the River Tame broke its banks

Road closures signs on the A443 in Worcestershire today amid major flooding from the storm

Drivers on the A443 tried to navigate the floods and had to be rescued by firefighters

A column of 11 abandoned vehicles is submerged on the A443 road in Worcestershire today

Cars became stuck on the A443 road in Worcestershire after the River Tame broke its banks

The A443 was initially blocked by a stranded car but further drivers then also became stuck

A column of 11 abandoned vehicles is submerged on the A443 road in Worcestershire today

The A443 was initially blocked by a stranded car but further drivers then also became stuck

Drivers on the A443 tried to navigate the floods and had to be rescued by firefighters

In Wales there was a severe flood warning for the River Ritec in Tenby, 11 flood warnings and 38 flood alerts, according to Natural Resources Wales.

In Gloucestershire, a motorist died after a tree fell on the car he was driving in yesterday during strong winds and heavy rain.

Police said a man in his 50s died in the incident on Tetbury Road, near Kemble.

Officers were called at around 3.15pm with reports of a large fallen tree on the A433 Tetbury Road near the A429 junction.

The force appealed for witnesses today.

'Emergency services, including an air ambulance, attended the location which is between Tetbury and Cirencester,' a police spokesman said this morning.

'Despite the efforts of those at the scene a man aged in his fifties and from the Bath area died. His next of kin and the coroner have been informed.

'The road remains closed as recovery and investigation work continues and motorists are asked to find alternative routes.'

The Energy Networks Association (ENA), which represents UK power network operators, said 125,000 customers had been reconnected since the storm damaged power lines yesterday.

As of 7am today, about 10,000 homes were without power. Ross Easton from the ENA said: 'Some parts of the country have seen winds in excess of 80mph, and it's the debris carried by this intensive wind which has caused significant damage to power lines in places.

'Technicians have reconnected around 125,000 customers and work continues right now to reconnect the remaining 10,000 homes as quickly and safely as possible.'

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has urged drivers to avoid flooded roads after four incidents last night amid flooding caused by Storm Henk.

A passer-by rescued a mother and daughter from a car that was wedged under a bridge after being taken by water while crossing a ford in Hall Green, Birmingham, with both mother and daughter later discharged after being checked by paramedics.

Huge waves crash against the pier at Seaham in County Durham this morning

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service rescue people from the Billing Aquadrome today

A resident goes out on his canoe in Loughborough, Leicestershire, today after flooding

A tree surgeon works on a fallen tree in Greenwich, South East London, this morning

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

A woman checks on a flooded car in car park in Worcester city centre this afternoon

A car being driven through floodwater in Loughborough in Leicestershire today

A fallen tree at Greenwich Park in South East London today after it was blown over in the storm

A car is driven through floodwater on a road at Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

A canoeist paddles past a car marooned in a flooded car park in Worcester city centre today

A trampoline flies across Rochester Way in Blackheath, South East London, yesterday

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service rescue people from the Billing Aquadrome today

Storm Henk brought down a tree on a Lexus car in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, pictured today

Homes in Loughborough are flooded today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

A vehicle is driven through a flooded country lane at Dunsden in Oxfordshire this morning

A woman checks on a flooded car in car park in Worcester city centre this afternoon

Homes in Loughborough are flooded after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

A car is driven through floodwater on a road at Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Flooded land at St Ives in Cambridgeshire today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

A flooded car park in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Storm Henk brought down a tree on a Lexus car in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, pictured today

Homes in Loughborough are flooded today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

A man walks through a flooded street in Worcester city centre this afternoon

A tree that has fallen onto a row of houses in Woolwich, South East London, pictured today

A man and a teenage boy were later removed from a car that had been trapped in flood water for around 45 minutes in Weston, near Stafford, last night.

Both were also later discharged.

Two other cars were also trapped in floodwater in Hollywood, Birmingham, and Bishops Frome, Worcestershire, last night, with one man taken to hospital as a precaution.

Ben Pallante, the WMAS Hazardous Area Response Team Manager, said: 'The first thing to do in heavy rain is consider whether you actually need to be out driving. If it is necessary then the simple advice is that you should not drive into flood water that's more than 10cm (4in) deep.

'You should be particularly careful when using fords during heavy rain, such as we have seen in the last couple of days, as they can become very dangerous. Fast-moving water is very powerful and can quickly sweep your car off the road in depths of only 30cm (12in).

Also, remember that the Highway Code states that stopping distances will be at least double in wet weather because your tyres will have less grip on the road.

'If you can't avoid driving through water, do so slowly, but if possible find an alternative route.'

The UK's rail network was hit by flooding and power cuts yesterday afternoon, with many operators reporting ongoing issues for the morning commute.

Flooding in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

A local out on his canoe in Loughborough today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

Worcester racecourse is flooded this afternoon after the River Severn burst its banks

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Flooding in York this morning where the River Ouse has broken its banks and risen again

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

Worcester racecourse is flooded this afternoon after the River Severn burst its banks

Police are called to a road between Tiverton and Halberton this morning after a lorry crash

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

The River Thames breaches its banks at Henley on Thames, flooding the nearby area today

A horse rider passes through the muddy copse at Dunsden in Oxfordshire this morning

A man walks through floodwater in Loughborough, Leicestershire, this morning

Greater Anglia said it was still experiencing 'severe disruption', with 'do not travel' warnings in place on routes in Norwich, Colchester, Peterborough and Cambridge [13].

Meanwhile South Western Railway said disruption linked to the storm was likely continue throughout the day.

SWR chief operating officer Stuart Meek and Network Rail interim route director for Wessex Matt Pocock said: 'We are very sorry for the disruption customers experienced yesterday, due to the serious and widespread impact of Storm Henk.

'The severe winds led to trees on the line damaging or delaying trains in multiple locations across our network.

'We jointly took the decision to suspend running services for several hours to ensure the safety of all our customers and colleagues.

'This had a knock-on effect with delays and cancellations through the rest of the day. We expect disruption linked to this storm to continue through today because of trains and crews being displaced.

'We would urge everyone to check before they travel to see whether their train is running as planned. Once again, we're sorry for the disruption to your journey.'

Great Northern Rail said services would be delayed from Cambridge to Ely and Kings Lynn until 10am on Wednesday as they work to repair damaged overhead wires and remove a damaged train.

Southern Rail also said delays were expected with repairs ongoing between Uckfield, Buxted and Crowborough.

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Cars are driven along a flooded road in Loughborough, Leicestershire, this morning

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

Homes in Loughborough are flooded today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

A rainbow rises over flooded fields in Cricklade after the Thames and Churn burst their banks

The River Thames breaches its banks at Henley on Thames, flooding the nearby area today

Flooding at Loughborough in Leicestershire today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

A tree that has fallen onto a row of houses in Woolwich, South East London, pictured today

The Kings Arms pub in York today after the River Ouse broke its banks and flooded the city

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Great Western Railway said flooding due to the storm had blocked several parts of its network.

Duke of Wellington monument is branded a safety danger due to Storm Henk damage

A historic monument to the Duke of Wellington has been branded a safety danger due to Storm Henk damage.

The 50ft high upended cannon in Aberystwyth was built 180 years ago, but has now been cordoned off after large stones began falling off it.

The Pen Dinas monument was classed as a 'safety hazard' and paths were cordoned off to restrict access.

Pen Dinas monument in Aberystwyth

Firefighters attended but could not cordon off the area due to the weather.

The structure was built of stone rubble in 1853.

It is thought it was intended to carry at statue at the top, which was never installed after the Duke's death.

The monument was fully restored in 1999 after a lightning strike, with a replacement rounded slate surround at its top made in Blaenau Ffestiniog.

A Mid Wales Fire and Rescue spokesman said the service was 'urging members of the public to stay away from the monument until it is properly assessed, and any necessary remedial works have been completed'.

Flooding near Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire means all lines are closed between Swindon and Bristol Parkway.

Services between London Paddington and South Wales are being diverted, adding around 40 minutes to journey times.

Flooding also means the route between Liskeard and Looe is blocked, and some lines are closed between Totnes and Plymouth.

On the roads, National Highways said the A52 in Nottinghamshire was closed in both directions between the A60 (Nottingham [14] Knight roundabout) and the A606 (Edwalton) but one lane of the eastbound carriageway reopened this morning. The westbound remains closed.

The A1 in Lincolnshire is closed northbound from the A52 (Grantham) and the B6326 (near Newark) because of standing water.

The A21 in East Sussex is closed in both directions between the A2100 (near Johns Cross) and the A28 (near Baldslow) because a fallen tree is resting on power cables above the road.

National Highways said: 'With more rain expected in many areas throughout the day, it is anticipated that the roads will remain closed for several hours.'

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had received 140 flood-related calls in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Leicestershire Police said a large number of homes were being affected by flooding in Loughborough, with police closing Belton Road from the junction of Jubilee Drive to Meadow Lane and A426 Lutterworth Road from Little Glen Road To Leicester Road Roundabout in Blaby.

In Loughborough, dozens of homes were left flooded and people being evacuated from their properties after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks during the storm.

Locals said the flooding was the worst they had ever seen in 40 years of living in the area and in some places was up to 6ft (1.8m) deep.

Married father-of-two Tejas Naik, 48, an engineer, said he had been left trapped in his home on Bottleacre Lane and unable to get to work.

He said: 'I woke up at around 5.45am and looked out of my window to see my driveway and garden completely flooded with emergency services everywhere.

'I have never seen anything like this since moving in in 2007. My house is slightly higher than my neighbours and the water has gone right into all their homes.

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

The River Thames breaches its banks at Henley on Thames, flooding the nearby area today

Water logged country paths at first light in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, this morning

A tree partially blocks a road today in Greenwich, South East London, after it was blown down

Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by floodwater today

The River Thames breaches its banks at Henley on Thames, flooding the nearby area today

Flooded fields at White Mill near Sturminster Marshall in Dorset this afternoon

Flooding outside Primark at the Market Street tram stop in Manchester city centre today

Flooding in Quorn, Loughborough, today as disruption continues following Storm Henk

A tree that landed on one car and upturned another on Nacton Road in Ipswich this morning

The day's sun rises on a calm morning after the storm in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, today

Flooding in Quorn, Loughborough, today as disruption continues following Storm Henk

Sunrise on a calm morning today following the storm in Dunsden, Oxfordshire

A driver was injured when a tree crashed on their car in Cookham, Berkshire, yesterday

The Volkswagen driver escaped with only minor injuries in Cookham, Berkshire, yesterday

'I could not get out to go to work this morning.

We are pretty much trapped in all directions.'

Another resident, John Brailsford, 67, said: 'These are the worst floods I've seen in 38 years of living here.

'The river sometimes bursts its banks but that's further away and we were told the canal would never flood. You don't think a canal would to this extent.

'It is unusual and it's very severe. I saw police, fire and ambulance crews all along the streets, some with dinghies which have been rescuing people.

'People have been forced to leave their homes, I have no idea how bad the damage is but it doesn't look good.

The flats down nearer the canal look badly affected.

'I was trying to get a medical centre because of a kidney stone and had to turn back several times. I have a big 4x4 and it was right up over the grille.

'It must have been 5 to 6ft deep in places. All the drains and sewers were overflowing.

People have been trying to sweep it away but to no avail.'

Yesterday, a woman was injured by a falling tree in Orpington as high winds hit.

The Metropolitan Police [15] were called at 3.14pm to reports that a woman had been struck by a tree in Station Approach.

Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

The strongest gales were recorded at the Needles Old Battery in the Isle of Wight, where wind speeds reached 94mph.

Gusts of 81mph were reached at Exeter Airport in Devon, and top winds hit 71mph at the Isle of Portland [16] in Dorset and also at Mumbles Head in Glamorgan.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service was called out to The Ford in Kenilworth yesterday to rescue a motorist who got stuck trying to drive through flood water.

In Greenwich, a large panel of scaffolding fell from either side of a building on Creek Road due to the heavy winds.

Marketing manager Josh Hargreaves, 30, said he and his boyfriend had watched the scaffolding 'pretty much swaying in the wind' before falling from the front of the building at around 3.40pm.

Then, an hour later, scaffolding fell from the back of the building as well.

References

^ Jon Brady (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Mark Duell (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Met Office (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Christmas (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ National Trust (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Sadiq Khan (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ #Horley (twitter.com)
^ pic.twitter.com/h4KHuzoLHF (t.co)
^ January 2, 2024 (twitter.com)
^ Gatwick (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ BBC News (www.bbc.co.uk)
^ Cambridge (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Nottingham (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Metropolitan Police (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Portland (www.dailymail.co.uk)