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UK weather live: Flooding travel chaos as roads shut and London trains delayed amid Met Office amber alert

Some schools across England have been forced to closed following flooding

Rachel Hagan,Holly Evans
Monday 23 September 2024 08:14
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UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

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Floods have caused travel chaos across the country with drivers being told to find alternative routes to London after extreme rainfall overnight.

The autumn equinox on Sunday coincided with heavy downpours, as the Met Office warned that “heavy rain is expected to produce some flooding” with an amber and yellow weather warning in place across most of England and Wales, except the most western and northern regions.

Southern railway lines were flooded earlier today disrupting commuter’s journeys throughout the morning. All lines have now re-opened but there are still delays of up to 40 minutes and some cancellations.

Four Underground lines, including the Overground and Piccadilly lines, are still part-suspended while drivers were asked to find alternative routes into the capital after National Highways said the northbound entry slip road from the M25 at junction 10 was closed due to flooding.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain from 05:00 BST until 23:59 on Monday across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. A more severe amber warning covers Gloucestershire, London, Northamptonshire, the East of England and Oxfordshire until 21:00.

There are 19 flood warnings in place and 73 flood alerts.

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London fire brigade respond to over 300 calls

London Fire Brigade said its 999 control officers have taken around 350 calls to flooding across the capital.

Firefighters have attended incidents in areas such as Ruislip, Uxbridge, Wimbledon and Carshalton.

The service said these included rescuing people trapped in cars, assisting people from their homes and responding to flooding in underground stations, roadways, residences and commercial properties.

A sunken car in the floods in England
A sunken car in the floods in England (Joe Giddens/PA)

Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 13:00
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Man saw a ‘wave of water' heading towards him

A man from Northamptonshire has described the moment he saw a “wave of water” heading towards him during flooding on Sunday night.

Tim Maher and his partner Carol Findon, from Grendon, saw their two-storey home partially submerged overnight with more than a foot of water.

Mr Maher told PA: “We’ve had an awful lot of rain in recent days and some forecasters were warning we could see a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

“I have an app on my phone which tracks river levels and at around 8:45pm it rocketed up. I decided to drive down to the bridge and saw the water breaking the banks and coming down the road towards me.

“I quickly turned around, drove home and put up a flood barrier we’ve got up against the door. It kept out a lot of the water but we’ve had about an inch overnight. We’ve had some damage to the carpets, settees and other furniture. The most difficult bit will be drying out the structure.

“We haven’t had much sleep and at least eight houses on our road have been impacted. It would be nice to get a permanent solution to this problem.”

Tim Maher in his flooded home
Tim Maher in his flooded home (Joe Giddens/PA)
Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 12:34
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Hairdresser says floodwater reached knee height in Bedfordshire

A hairdresser was cleaning up mud outside her salon in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on Monday morning after floodwater reached knee height on Sunday.

Kirsty Brewer told the PA news agency it was the fourth time the business had flooded in the last six or seven years and the first time it caused thousands of pounds of damage.

The 31-year-old, who rents a chair in the business, said: "It started yesterday afternoon when the whole of Dunstable was flooded. It was up to your knee deep, the road comes down so we're sitting in a bit of a well.

“We don't open on Sundays or Mondays, so it's not affected business in that way, it's just a big clean-up. It was full of mud when we got here at 9am.

"This is the fourth time that it has happened in the last six or seven years, so we've got all the electricals up, we're prepared. We know how to handle it. Because we are a listed building we're not allowed a floodgate. The first time that it happened it was thousands of pounds worth of damage. It happened last year, it's like a once-a-year thing."

Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 12:15
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The latest in pictures

People looking at flood water in Grendon, Northamptonshire
People looking at flood water in Grendon, Northamptonshire (PA)
Homes are flooded on Woolgrove Road along the River Purwell in Hitchin
Homes are flooded on Woolgrove Road along the River Purwell in Hitchin (Wesley Johnson/PA Wire)
A person shelters from the rain in a flooded underpass by Lawrence Hill Roundabout, Bristol.
A person shelters from the rain in a flooded underpass by Lawrence Hill Roundabout, Bristol. (Ben Birchall/PA)
Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 11:58
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Updated list of flood warnings

There are now 17 flood warnings across England, where flooding “is expected” and 68 alerts where “flooding is possible.”

if your area has a flood warning, the government advises in some circumstances to turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies. Move your family, vehicles, pets and important items to safety and follow advice from your local council or the emergency services.

Here is everywhere affected:

- Bunches Brook from Broadway to Childswickham

- Grendon Brook catchment including Yardley Hastings, Denton, Bozeat, Easton Maudit and Grendon

- Kidbrooke Stream at Forest Row

- Low-lying areas close to Clipstone Brook at Leighton Buzzard

- Mill Brook from the Hagbourne Mill area to Winterbrook

- River Anker at Mancetter, Witherley and Atherstone

- River Flit, River Hit and River Ivel at Shefford and Clifton

- River Ivel at Langford

- River Lee at Harpenden

- River Lee at Luton

- River Medway between Forest Row and Penshurst

- River Ouzel at Bletchley and Caldecotte

- River Ouzel at Leighton Buzzard, Stoke Hammond and Great Brickhill

- River Teise in Lamberhurst and Goudhurst

- Water Eaton Brook at Water Eaton

- Wider area at risk from Clipstone Brook at Leighton Buzzard

- Yeading Brook East at South Ruislip

Homes are flooded on Woolgrove Road along the River Purwell in Hitchin
Homes are flooded on Woolgrove Road along the River Purwell in Hitchin (Wesley Johnson/PA Wire)
Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 11:37
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Car left ‘stranded’ overnight in London downpour

The London Fire Brigade had to rescue a stranded car overnight near Croydon.

An image shared by the service shows the vehicle mostly underwater on Manor Road, in Wallington.

They warned drivers that just a foot of water moving 6mph could float a car.

Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 10:45
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AFC Wimbledon’s Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle postponed

AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting on Tuesday has been called off due to “extensive overnight flooding” at the

The Dons’ stadium in London is now closed with a rescheduled date for the tie yet to be confirmed.

A statement on Wimbledon’s official website read: “We regret to inform supporters that due to extensive overnight flooding of the River Wandle and surrounding areas, including at our Cherry Red Records Stadium, Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round fixture against Newcastle United has been postponed. More information will follow in due course regarding fixture rearrangement. The stadium is closed until further notice.”

The fourth round of the Carabao Cup is due to take place the week commencing October 28.

Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 10:14
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List of schools forced to close today due to weather

Several schools across the country have been forced to close today due to significant flooding. The flooded schools said pupils had been set to remote learning and urged parents and carers to check their websites for updates. Some school trips have also been cancelled.

Here is a list of the closures which we will be updating throughout the day if information changes.

Gloucestershire:

  • Chosen Hill School in Churchdown
  • The Milestone School in Gloucester [Monday and Tuesday]
  • Tewkesbury CofE Primary

Oxfordshire:

  • Frank Wise School, Banbury
  • The Warriner School, Bloxham
  • Lord Williams’s School, Thame
  • St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Banbury

Bedfordshire:

  • Goldington Academy, Putnoe
  • Hockliffe Lower School, Leighton Buzzard
  • Mark Rutherford School
  • St Marys CofE Clophill VA, Clophill
  • The Hills Academy,
  • Broadmead Lower School, Park Crescent
  • Sheerhatch Primary School’s Willington site
  • Lincroft Academy, Oakley [only be open to Year 11 and ARC students today]
  • Harlington Upper
  • Harlington Lower
  • Sundon Lower School, Bedfordshire
Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 10:12
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Where rain could fall in your area as amber warning comes into effect

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and up towards the Wash and the Humber could be hit by the heavy rainfall.

A yellow alert was put in place throughout the day, covering parts of Wales, much of the south of England, the Midlands and into northwest England and Yorkshire.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey added: “First thing on Monday morning then we see an amber weather warning come into force. It stretches between Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and up towards the Wash and the Humber.

“This area in particular, during Monday, we could see over a month’s worth of rain falling, and with the rain we’ve already seen over the last couple of days this certainly has the potential to bring some disruption and flooding in locations and here it is very important we do take care over the course of the day.”

UK weather mapped: Where rain could fall as amber warning comes into effect

The Met Office warned a month’s worth of rainfall could fall in some parts of the UK on Monday

Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 09:41
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Yellow weather warning extended

The Met Office’s yellow weather warning has been extended to last until 23:59 tonight.

There is still some uncertainty regarding which areas will be affected by the heaviest rain, but at this stage parts of the south Midlands, southern and southwest England look most likely to be greatest hit.

Heavy rain in London on Monday morning
Heavy rain in London on Monday morning (PA Wire)
Rachel Hagan23 September 2024 09:21

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