Flooding Hits South West

Devon is seeking emergency Government funding to help with the cost of last weekend's flood damage. Devon County Council says it will cost more than £1m to clear up the flood damage as well as more than £3m to repair Devon's highway network.

We will have to apply to the Government for emergency funding under the Bellwin scheme. The overall costs of the clear up will be over £1 million and are expected to increase further, and the repair costs are in excess of £3 million. That is based on just 25% of the network surveyed so far, so these costs are also likely to rise. We have further warnings of more heavy rain for tomorrow and Friday this week so we have to be prepared to expect the possibility of further disruption.

The council says more than 140 homes in the county were damaged by flood water. Highways teams are continuing to clear debris, drainage ditches and blocked drains on major roads. Landslides are also being removed from roads. The damage is still being assessed.

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• flooding
• south west

Brixham coastguard has co-ordinated the rescue of a driver who got stuck on the tidal road between Aveton Gifford and Bigbury.

The road, by the River Avon, floods at high tide. The driver was released from his vehicle and the tide is receding.

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• Brixham coastguard
• Devon

Bowlish Infant School in Shepton Mallet was evacuated earlier due to flooding.

Somerset County Council has issued the following statement:

All 113 pupils were led to nearby Bowlish House because of the threat of floodwater inundating the school.

The headteacher acted on the advice of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service which had been called to a neighbouring property.

The Council has also sent a structural engineer to inspect a wall there. It is holding back water from the River Sheppey which is threatening the school.

All the staff, parents and pupils have acted in a calm manner, and a decision will be taken later today on whether to close the school tomorrow.

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• shepton mallet
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Bowlish Infant School near Shepton Mallet has been evacuated because of flooding.

The children have been moved up the hill to the Bowlish House Hotel where their parents were coming to collect them.

Structural engineers are being brought in to check the integrity of the walls, as water is lapping at the doors.

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• Flooding
• south west

A Flood Warning has been issued by the Environment Agency for the River Sheppey at Shepton Mallet and Croscombe.

Overnight heavy rain is causing flooding across a wide area.

The River Sheppey is rising and flooding is expected for the River Sheppey at Shepton Mallet and Croscombe including Leg Square, Lower Lane and Draycott Road in Shepton Mallet on Wednesday.

Immediate action is required.

For more information, visit the Environment Agency's website.

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The Met Office is warning there could be more localised flooding with heavy showers expected overnight and into tomorrow morning.

The rain is expected to fall heaviest across the South West of England moving toward the eastern part of the country tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.

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• Flooding
• south west

A village in Dorset is still battling against the floods - with the commuter route that runs through it closed. Winterbourne Abbas lies to the west of Dorchester with the A35 going through the heart of the village.

Experts say it won't be until tomorrow at the earliest that the road is re-opened. That may affect the route of the Olympic torch which is due to arrive in the village on Thursday. From Winterbourne Abbas, John Andrews reports.

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• Flooding
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The appalling weather continues to dominate the news tonight - and now it's the region's economy that's taking a battering. Some businesses say they're facing the worst summer in history. Today, much of the region had some respite from the rain.

But, as Richard Lawrence has been finding out, for many, the damage has already been done.

• UK
• Flooding
• south west