Gloucestershire flooding and weather latest news

People across the county are being urged to continue driving with care as significant flooding is still affecting the county's roads.

The Environment Agency is predicting river levels to swell overnight with the River Severn being of particular concern.

The A417 at Maisemore has already flooded, is closed and will not be open in the morning so drivers will need to find an alternative route for travelling.

The River Severn at Tewkesbury is expected to peak at 4.8metres – a metre less than the 2007 peak - overnight or early tomorrow morning.

ROADS UPDATE A417, Maisemore – road closed

B4234 Lydbrook – road closed Drybrook Cuttings, landslip – road closed

B4080 Bredon Road – road closed

B4213, Hawbridge – road closed Barton Street, Tewkesbury – closed. Ashchurch Road, Newtown, Northway in the Tewkesbury area – passable with care

A48 and A4136 at Brierly – passable with care

Central area:

Downton Road, Leonard Stanley – road closed

Old Birdlip Hill, Witcombe – road closed

Old London Road in Wotton under Edge, landslip – road closed

B4063, Cheltenham Road East – passable with care

A46, Shurdington – passable with care

East area: B4035 Chipping Camden – road closed

Dollar Street, Cirencester – road closed

Spittlegate Lane, Cirencester – road closed Cirencester inbound at Preston Toll on approach from Cricklade – road closed

Daglingworth - road closed A417 at Lechlade, passable with care

There has already been some localised flooding in the centre of Tewkesbury as river levels rise.

Tewkesbury Borough Council has opened a rest centre at its council offices on Gloucester Road.

While no properties have been evacuated, there are currently areas of concern in Tewkesbury, Maisemore and Sandhurst where river levels have not yet peaked.

The rest centre, which is being set up as a precautionary measure, will be managed by the council's Emergency Management staff.

Tewkesbury Borough Council's Director of Communities Verna Green said: "According to the Environment Agency, river levels in our area have not yet peaked and we should expect a further 10-20cm rise so we have opened up our rest centre for anyone that might need it."

The borough council is continuing to replenish its stock of sandbags, which are available at the entrance of the council offices.

In addition, council staff are making as many visits as possible to homes likely to be badly affected by the rising river levels to make sure they are appropriately prepared and to advise them that the rest centre is available if needed.

Electric network operators have brought in pumps to a sub station hit by floods five years ago.

As waters rise around the Castle Meads station on the western edge of Gloucester, Western Power Distribution is keeping a watchful eye on levels.

It installed a permanent flood barrier after the floods of 2007 and is confident it will hold.

But if water comes up through the ground, pumps are on standby to empty it before any damage is done. "The pumps have been deployed as a precaution and we have people working there as a matter of course anyway," said a company spokeswoman. "We are also conducting frequent checks during the night."

Just under 50,000 homes were left without power when the station on Alney Island was switched off after it was inundated, by water in 2007.

Then-operators Central Networks restored power more quickly once the water was out. Sandbags used in the emergency were replaced by a concrete barrier around the site.

National Grid Transco has not yet responded to www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk's inquiry but it is halfway through a £5.5million flood alleviation scheme at Walham.

Flood levels at the Mythe Water Treatment Works, on the edge of Tewkesbury, look worryingly high.

At one point earlier today, water was about 3ft from the top of the site's flood wall – built to prevent a repeat of the 2007 flooding of the key installation.

But Severn Trent Water, which runs the plant, assured people that it was not in danger of flooding.

A spokesman said: "As a precautionary measure we are installing further defences, which include more pumps.

The water levels today are below what they were in 2007 and considerably below the level that our defences are designed to handle.

"Engineers are monitoring the situation to make sure that everything runs according to plan and our equipment continues to stand up to this very real test.

"We're pleased that our investment in Mythe is delivering what we designed it to do for the area."

Gloucestershire Highways and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service are working with the Environment Agency in both these areas to monitor the situation and are ready to take action if needed.

On main roads there's still a lot of standing water on routes all around the county and there are a number of road closures still in place.

Many minor rural routes in low lying areas and those close to swollen water courses may also be closed or passable only with extreme care.

Gloucestershire Highways teams remain off normal duties as all gangs are responding to flood related incidents around the county.

Jason Humm, Area Highway Manager, said: "We've been busy all weekend responding to requests for assistance from members of the public and the emergency services.

"The key issue now is the potential flooding the rising levels of the River Severn could cause, particularly in Maisemore and Tewkesbury.

"I'd advise motorists to check travel alerts before setting off and to plan extra time for their journeys as rush hours tonight and tomorrow morning are likely to be difficult.

" Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has also had a busy weekend with more than 190 flood-related call-outs since Friday.

Crews remain in attendance in Lydbrook where significant flooding has affected the centre of the village where twelve homes, a garage and a pub have flooded.

The fire service and the highways teams are stepping in to help the Forest of Dean District Council by unblocking one of their nearby culverts which is clogged with debris.

This will help alleviate the flooding situation as the roads are still under several feet of water.

Jon Hall, Chief Fire Office, said: "We've been able to get support in from neighbouring fire services – West Midlands, Hampshire and Staffordshire – and that's allowed us to respond to the near 200 calls we've had this weekend.

"Our teams have been out talking to residents in affected areas, informing them of any potential issues and offering assistance wherever it's needed.

"We'll be working closely with our partners in highways and the environment agency tonight as we respond to any incidents the rising river levels cause."

Flooding has also affected three of the county's school which are closed today.

Clearwell School in the Forest of Dean, Peak Academy and Powell's C of E School in Cirencester are shut.

Gloucestershire Police have expressed their disappointment at drivers putting themselves and others at risk by ignoring road closures.

Several roads across the county are currently closed due to flooding but a number of drivers are selfishly ignoring the warnings and driving through the water despite the potential dangers.

Inspector for Roads Policing, Jason Keates, said: "We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of adhering to these road closures. "We understand it's frustrating when your journey is delayed by having to find an alternative route but the closures are in place for good reason.

"Under no circumstances should you drive through flood water – you do not know how deep it is, or what is under it. "This also applies to larger vehicles, such as 4 x 4s. Whilst your vehicle might get through the water it causes a bow wave, which in turn can lead to flooding in nearby properties."

Javelin Park - the proposed site for an incinerator for Gloucestershire - has flooded for the second time this month as this video reveals:

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The River Severn is expected to peak overnight tonight and into tomorrow.

"The River Wye has already peaked in Herefordshire but will peak in Ross on Wye this afternoon."

Gloucestershire weather forecast

Concern is growing in Tewkesbury as business people and residents battle to prevent their premises from flooding.

Police have closed the Bredon Road near to the White Bear pub due to a lake of water forming in a dip there.

Landlord David Boazman had six inches of water gush into the pub last night.

He and his staff have since managed to pump and sweep out much of the water.

They now face an anxious wait to see whether the damage, which is relatively minor at the moment, becomes worse if the flood level in the road rises much higher.

He said: "At the moment, we've got five pumps on the go and people sweeping." On the other side of town, homes in Abbey Terrace are close to having floodwater in them.

Resident Maggie Thornton said: "It's now a waiting game." With the rivers and brooks at Tewkesbury already swollen, further rain that it is now falling has heightened anxiety among those living in the flooding hotspots.

Villagers in Lydbrook are coming to terms with the aftermath of the worst floods there that anyone can remember.

Raging water up to waist height has been pumped away leaving home owners and businesses to count the cost. Huge muddy deposits cover much of the road through the village, which is expected to open again soon.

Andy and Christine Finch-Dent bought the Ferndale House bed and breakfast in the village only four months ago.

One of the self-catering cottages there was under several inches of water and they had to act fast to move a pair of holidaymakers into alternative accommodation.

Christine said: "We were fully booked for all of December. Now we don't know what we'll have to cancel. We are covered for loss of income but it's people's holidays that will be ruined."

Andy added: "Our website says we are next to a babbling brook – it's more like a raging torrent now."

Mark Harper, MP for the Forest of Dean, has expressed his thanks for all the people who have been helping with the flood relief effort over the weekend.

Mr Harper said: "I would like to express my thanks to all those people who have worked hard over the weekend to minimise the effects of flooding on my constituents.

"Special thanks go to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue who have been instrumental in keeping people safe.

"They have been working around the clock, and deserve our gratitude. While the worst of the rain may have passed, it is likely to be a number of days before the flooding has cleared.

"I urge people to be particularly careful when driving over the next few days.

"Road conditions will be particularly hazardous, with many roads wet or flooded, and they may freeze overnight."

Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of gallons of floodwater have been pumped out of the new stretch of canal in Stroud. Workers fled the site at Dr Newton's Way on Wednesday when water topped the clay dam and ran in to the 330 metre stretch being excavated. Temporary dam experts were drafted in to build a new barrier, and the water was pumped out in to the unrestored section of the canal running parallel to Dr Newton's Way.

It means work can start again on digging the new canal.

Powell's C of E Primary School  in the Cotswolds is closed, as is Clearwell Primary School in the Forest of Dean.

Motorists are urged to stay safe by reducing their speed, driving carefully and considerately and to not drive into floodwater as you cannot anticipate how deep it is.

At Chalford Valley Bottom in Stroud the River Frome was the highest it had been as at least half a dozen homes were flooded and the High Street closed to traffic on Sunday and this morning.

Property owner Anna Thompson said in 2008 a wet summer led to the Frome breaking all previous records.

But on Sunday it topped even that, she said. "It broke that record (on Sunday). It is the highest it has been," said Mrs Thompson from nearby Minchinhampton.

Environment Agency records taken this morning showed the river level at Chalford at 0.72 metres compared to the previous record of 0.67 metres in January 2008.

Tenant Caroline Hough only moved in to rent Mr and Mrs Thompson's picturesque house beside the water a few months ago after her husband Steve's job brought them and their small children from Australia.

"The fire brigade did everything they could do. They came down in response to a call from the parish council," Mrs Hough said.

"We knew it was coming so we got as much upstairs as we could," said Mrs Hough and she and her children paddled across their living room floor.

Neighbour Jackie Hunt held her dog Oscar in her arms to stop him being swept away in the force of the swollen river water. Mrs Hunt and her husband Malcolm's efforts with 300 sandbags and five pumps saved their house from the flood.

"The one thing that is important is how everybody was just so good helping one another," Mrs Hunt said. "

It brought the neighbours together. We have had bacon and egg buns, and soup, one girl made a lot of cookies."

The official "flood warning" prompted Chalford Parish Council's Valley Ward members Max Strover and David Pinson to organise the supply of sandbags to collection points at Belvedere Mews, Valley Corner, the Red Lion car park and on the green opposite Chalford Chairs.

Jo Murdock only moved in to Chalford last weekend.

The approach to her home, thankfully on higher ground, was however over a footbridge with floodwater streaming dangerously strongly over it.

"Everybody was helping distribute all the sandbags," Jo said. Residents and traders near Spittlegate Lane, in Cirencester, have been watching anxiously as the waters breached the banks of the brook running through the town.

Tim Waller, who owns the Corinium Court Hotel, said the car park at the back of the premises was under 18 inches of water.

"It is very high although the level has dropped back a bit since the weekend," he said.

"The water tends to run into our car park because it is lower than the surrounding roads "It's almost as high as it was in the 2007 floods.

"We are staying open for business however." The Registry nightclub in Eastgate Street served as a temporary refuge for clubbers struggling to make it home on Saturday night due to road closures and flooding.

General manager at The Registry, Barry Hurley, said: "Eastgate Street was being shut down at 3am as normal, but there were still loads of people trying to get home. Some areas like the Forest of Dean were a no-go and there were not enough taxis to go around.

"We couldn't kick people out in the rain so we decided we would stay open until everyone got home safely. We have got 12 sofas here so were prepared to allow them to stay the night if needed.

"They needed somewhere dry and warm to go and everywhere else was shut. We acted as a temporary refuge and Zam Zam takeaway were very supportive too, bringing in pizzas and chicken bits for people."

Traffic information can be found on the Highways Agency website: http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic-information/

The emergency services continue to monitor the conditions closely in the coming hours and days, keeping an eye on Environment Agency flood alerts and river levels in the county.

Two schools have confirmed they will be closed on Tuesday to pupils.

The Peak Academy in Stroud and Green Field Academy in the Cotswolds remain closed to students only on Tuesday. Staff are arranging home tuition to take place.

Police have confirmed Sandhurst Lane is currently closed due to flooding at 10pm on Monday. Drybrook Cuttings and Lydbrook roads closed earlier but are now open again.

Severn Area Rescue has been asked to help Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue during the night. The services are believed to have helped rescue two people from a flooded property in Sandhurst.

Bosses at Swanbrook Buses have said there will be disruption to some of its services on Tuesday as a result of road closures.

All services to Hartpury College will be severely disrupted due to road closures on A417 at Maisemore and B4213 Haw Bridge.

The Tewkesbury School service from Bushley, Tirley, Deerhurst is not operating due to localised flooding. Further disruption to bus services anticipated for Tuesday with the Churchdown School route likely to be effected with a possible non-operation from Sandhurst.