Three people die as floods sweep West

Three people have died and dozens have been evacuated from their homes as flash floods swept across part of the region at the weekend.

One was named last night as 86-year-old Henry Collier who died on Saturday night trying to walk free from his flooded car after his Ford became submerged in a country lane in South Petherton, Somerset.

Mr Collier, a gardener, was said to be devoted to his parish church where he took the collection.

Elsewhere storms battered the region on Friday and Saturday causing rivers to burst their banks and low-lying ground to reach saturation point with Somerset the worst affected.

Parts of Wiltshire also bore the brunt of the storms with four people rescued from the rooftops of their cars and the county's main rail networks blocked by flood waters between Chippenham and Swindon. A landslip near Wootton Bassett also caused chaos on the roads.

Residents were warned that while rain will ease off today, more showers are expected tomorrow and on Thursday.

In Somerset, flood water deluged areas around Yeovil, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wellington overnight on Friday with hundreds of homes surrounded and cars submerged.

Mr Collier's body was discovered near his vehicle which was floating in Over Stratton, near Martock up to its roof in water at 6pm on Saturday.

The cause of his death is thought to be drowning or hypothermia.

Yesterday the Rev David Jasper, of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, in South Petherton, paid tribute to Mr Collier as a committed sideman who never missed a service.

Rev Jasper said: "He was a lovely, lovely man. We missed him in church today and made enquiries. He would always come every Sunday at 8am, ring the bells before the service and take the collection.

"Everyone who knew him would say he was a good, kind man who lived for his church and for his people. He gardened for so many people too.

"He always wanted to stay independent and rode a bicycle when he could, even though he wasn't as strong as he had been. He never made a fuss and looked out for people."

One of his boyhood friends Rowland Farr, 79, said the gardener was very much in demand, even in his retirement.

His wife died many years ago, and Mr Farr did not believe he had any children.

Mr Farr said he thought Mr Collier was on his way to visit his brother Edward in Crewkerne when the tragedy occurred.

He said: "Obviously I feel sad about it. It is a bit of a shock. He was a quiet man and kept himself to himself. I don't think he ever drank or smoked.

"He was very religious and used to be go to church every Sunday as a sideman. He would pass my window at 7am and come back at 9.20am.

"Years and years ago it used to flood in that area, but it hasn't for two or three years."

An Avon and Somerset police spokesman said the matter had been passed to the coroner.

The spokesman said: "The man was not recovered from the car. It appears he had got out of the car and got into difficulties. The car was submerged in two to three feet of floodwater."

In Martock, believed to be one of the worst hit areas, locals were forced to flee their homes. But community spirit was strong in the crisis-hit village with neighbours rallying round to help each other, including Edna Stevens, 94, who was evacuated out of her home by people living nearby.

In Dorset, a 22-year-old woman was killed when her car left the road and crashed in heavy rain.

Officers are investigating whether the weather was a factor in the accident on the A35 at Upton, Poole on Friday night. It is thought the woman's car may have aquaplaned after hitting a standing water.

In Cornwall, a man died in an eight-vehicle pile-up in which police believe bad weather was a factor.

The crash happened on the A30 dual carriageway at Treswithian near Camborne, west Cornwall, about 2pm on Sunday.

Christmas holidays will begin early for pupils at Countess Gytha Primary School in Queen Camel, near Yeovil, as torrents swept through the village, leaving classrooms devastated and transforming the playground into a water park.

Villager Dr Michael Perry said: "Households were evacuated out of Grace Martin's Lane and the Mill complex as waters rose to over four feet. Parents and staff at the school now face the grim task of clearing up."

Head teacher Janet Mills was joined by a team of volunteers as they worked throughout the weekend to protect the school from further flash floods and clean up.

In Wiltshire, fire and rescue crews were "at full stretch" dealing with more than 200 calls in the space of hours.

About 80 homes were flooded and four people had to be rescued from the rooftops of their cars as roads and residential areas were inundated by flash floods.

Flood waters blocked rail tracks between Chippenham and Swindon, and a landslip near Wootton Bassett blocked a road.

At the height of the flooding chaos in the early hours of Saturday morning, more than 30 fire engines were called to pump water from people's homes and then rescue stranded motorists.

The worst hit areas included Bromham and Rowde while places not used to large-scale flooding, like Warminster, were also badly hit, as were roads at Staverton, near Trowbridge, and the centre of Bradford-on-Avon.

The police and fire brigade issued joint warnings to people to stay indoors. A statement said: "Unless your journey is absolutely essential then the public are advised to stay at home.

"If you must undertake a journey please ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and that you allow extra time and reduce your speed. Do not drive through flood water unless necessary and only do so at a slow speed to avoid flooding of the vehicle engine."

Police said the main danger last night was of standing water freezing to dangerous ice, and repeated the message to stay at home.

Gloucestershire residents were hit by surface water flooding on roads and swollen brooks following the torrential rain on Friday night but it is not believed any houses in the county were actually flooded.

The River Lyd in the Forest of Dean has now been taken off flood watch but the River Severn from Tewkesbury to Gloucester remained on flood watch.

Cypress Gardens in Longlevens as well as Overbury Road and India Road in Barton were some of the worst-hit areas with Prestbury also suffering.

Motorists were also affected as roads including the A46 from Stroud to Gloucester, the B4008 and the A48 at Newnham-on-Severn were hit.

Saturday's race meeting at Prestbury Park was abandoned after more than an inch of rain fell on Saturday morning.

Residents across the West are now hoping the torrential downpours will be replaced by a desperately needed dry spell to prevent any more disasters in the run-up to Christmas.

The rain is expected to hold off today before showers make an unwelcome return tomorrow and on Thursday.