Leighton Buzzard homes evacuated after highest water levels recorded

Some homes have been evacuated after water levels reached their highest recorded height in a Bedfordshire town.

The River Ouzel in Leighton Buzzard rose to 1.88m (6ft) on Friday morning.

Anthony Molloy, who has lived near Clipstone Brook for 26 years, has considered moving as flooding overnight was "the worst one we've had".

"I love it here, I love the neighbours, but there's got to be a time where you've got to go if this sort of thing is going to happen," he said.

Mr Molloy said watching his garden flood overnight was "very scary".

Water levels at Clipstone Brook have reached 2.31m (7.5ft). The previous highest level recorded at that measuring station was 2.09m (6.8ft) in 2014.

Police officers and fire crews visited Mr Molloy and his neighbours overnight to see if anybody needed evacuating as the rain continued.

"We were both awake worrying what would happen next. In my mind, I'm wondering what damage it is going to do and if the insurance will cover me," he said.

Sheryl Carter has lived close to Clipstone Brook in Waterdell, Leighton Buzzard, for 20 years and said flooding had become more frequent.

"We couldn't see the road, we couldn't see the kerb, it was really deep. I've never seen it come up as quick as that before," she said.

The 48-year-old said she received a flood warning by text at about 23:30 GMT and began to monitor the water levels as it came into her garden.

The Waterdell resident spent the night watching the levels rise and placed towels by her door to stop invading water.

"We were lucky it didn't actually come in our house. It came in next door, so it could've been a lot worse," she said.

Ms Carter said: "We've lived here 20 years and previously we had one flood occasion. Now in the last year we've had two occasions where it's flooded, it's getting more frequent."

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