Flood defences in Severn towns ‘holding up’ but even more rain is on the way

Defences protecting homes and businesses in flood-threatened towns along the River Severn are ‘holding up’ – but residents are bracing themselves for further downpours through the rest of this week.

In Bewdley, which straddles the river north of Worcester, barriers on either bank managed to hold firm and keep the water at bay on Wednesday despite a ‘remarkable’ amount still working its way down the channel.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have also warned selfie hunters flocking to the historic town’s main bridge to gawp at how close the water has come to washing over the barriers to ‘stay away from flood areas if you don’t have a genuine reason to be there’.

The Environment Agency is keeping a close eye on the defences there and in other places along the Severn, including Ironbridge upstream and Upton-upon-Severn downstream.

Residents are carrying on as normal despite the water rushing past a few yards away, with businesses open as usual.

The closure of the main road has seen locals setting up a free bus route, with a vintage double-decker ferrying people across the town.

Water levels are at their highest level in 20 years, according to the Environment Agency, which is preparing for more rain.

Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: ‘As it stands, our defences are all holding up.

‘There’s huge amount of water against them so we’re monitoring that very closely at the moment. But at the moment things are okay at Bewdley.’

Attention is starting to turn to the situation down-river, where levels in Worcester – which had dropped back in the last two days – are expected to surge again.

Mr Throup continued: ‘Further down towards Upton-upon-Severn, we still have severe flood warnings in place there and that’s because we do expect levels to rise again slightly and they are already exceptionally high.

‘So we will be monitoring that again very closely through today with staff at Upton.’

As time goes on the water will feed down into Gloucestershire, where ‘some big levels’ are expected later.

Mr Throup added: ‘The only saving factor there is there’s not much water coming down the River Avon. So that may allow things to spread out a little bit.

‘Unfortunately it’s not out of the woods, even then, because we’re looking at rainfall for today, tomorrow and right through the weekend, which potentially could affect the tops of the catchments, which is just not where we want to be at all.

‘But we will be prepared, so we’re working with our forecasters on that for scenarios going through the weekend.’