Floods wreak havoc again

A month's rain in a week; half a month's in a single day in some places; these are dramatic climatic events for what we used to think of as late summer.

After last year's record rainfall and floods in June and July, many of us had hoped for a flood-free summer. This year August and September so far seem set to break record rainfalls.

The ground is saturated, water tables full and our rivers close to breaking their banks - in some places they did last weekend.

While most of Shropshire was spared the worst effects of Friday night's floods, some unfortunate places suffered once again - a house in Ludlow was flooded for the third time in 15 months.

It seems again that flood warning systems need to be looked at - water levels seem to have risen faster than the Environment Agency expected on Friday night.

Most of our towns seem to have survived with less damage this time, where there was an excellent response from local councillors, council staff and emergency services.

But several villages were hit hard with little or no warning: Brockton and Bourton on the Wenlock road and Bitterley, to name those I am visiting to see for myself the extent of the damage.

Injuries were few in Shropshire, thankfully, so our sympathy can rightly focus on those whose homes have been flooded. But some schools and many businesses have been badly affected too. Potato farmers have seen their crops washed away in severe cases. Uncut wheat is so wet it is starting to sprout, which may turn what once looked a promising harvest into a salvage operation.

With more rain forecast in the days to come, I urge all those whose properties are at risk to take whatever precautions you can. Contact the Environment Agency or local council if in doubt.