Hundreds flee

HUNDREDS of people fled for their lives yesterday as downpours continued to batter Britain.

The Midlands was among the worst hit areas as days of heavy rain caused mayhem.

Families including young children were rescued from cars and escaped their homes in boats.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service saved more than 100 people and a dog in dozens of incidents where cars had become deluged.

Entire villages remained submerged and emergency services had to call in extra staff.

Six people and a dog were also rescued by boat during two separate operations in Evesham, Worcs, as the River Avon burst its banks.

Pensioner Trevor Reek, 70, was plucked to safety by firefighters from his home. He said: “I couldn’t get out on my own, it was too deep to wade through.”

Ten people trapped overnight in eight vehicles were saved while a baby locked in a car was rescued by firefighters in Kidderminster.

Sandbags

Around 50 schools closed and a hospital in Evesham was shut to new admissions and outpatients clinics were cancelled.

A child and an adult were also rescued from a vehicle trapped in Croxton, Staffs.

Flood barriers were erected in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcs, and Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks.

More than 250 flood warning and alerts were in place across most of England and parts ofWales.

The South Yorkshire villages of Fishlake and Stainforth have been the worst affected.

Troops have been laying down sandbags there and in Bentley.

John Curtin, of the Environment Agency, said: “We don’t want people to think, ‘it won’t happen to me’. Today it is Evesham. Tomorrow, where next?”

Rail services across South Yorkshire and around Nottingham have been disrupted.

PM Boris Johnson announced that the worst-affected would be eligible for financial relief.

Oli Claydon, of the Met Office, said the weather will ease this weekend. He added: “There will be showers but nothing like we’ve seen over the last week.”

Flood victim in Bentley, South Yorks; below, a cyclist near Tewkesbury, Glos