Flash floods disrupts schools and communities

Schools have been forced shut and residents stuck inside their homes as heavy rain brought flash flooding to parts of Herefordshire.

Longtown Primary, Michaelchurch Escley Primary, Peterchurch Primary and Fairfield High School said they were shut after flood waters blocked roads.

Due to the extensive flooding at Peterchurch Primary, in Peterchurch, it said it would have to close for two days after firefighters were called to pump water out of the building.

In a statement to parents it said: "It is not currently safe for the children or staff to attend or enter the building."

Clifford Primary School's head teacher, Paula Shuman, said staff could not get to their grounds and meals for lunchtime were not delivered.

The landlord of the Temple Bar Inn in Hereford, Gino Fulgoni, said he was making sure his staff could get home after a river near the business burst its bank.

"They tried walking through and [the water] is up to their waist," he said.

"We saw the river burst its bank around half nine and it was just a little trickle but within 15 minutes it was coming in strongly and it built from there."

A yellow weather warning for rain was issued by the Met Office on Tuesday and will last until Wednesday evening.

The Met Office warned some places could see 50-80mm (2-3in) of rain in six hours.

Rachel Evans, from Ewyas Harold, near the border with Wales, said drains in the area could not cope with the amount of overflowing water from the Dulas Brook rapidly filling the area.

"It's come up all so suddenly as it usually does in the village, the drains can't seem to cope and the brook that goes through the village over spilled," she added.

Hereford leisure centre cancelled its gymnastics classes and closed the sports hall after being hit by flooding. It told members activities would not resume for two days while reimbursing any cards charged for the classes cancelled.

Flash flooding also affected the neighbouring county of Shropshire, causing train cancellations, closed roads and forcing businesses to shut.

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