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| Clean-up in wake of flash floods | Clean-up in wake of flash floods |
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| A clean-up operation is under way after torrential rain caused flash flooding across south-west England. | A clean-up operation is under way after torrential rain caused flash flooding across south-west England. |
| Firefighters evacuated homes in the worst hit areas of south Somerset after a sudden and heavy burst of rain on Thursday evening. | Firefighters evacuated homes in the worst hit areas of south Somerset after a sudden and heavy burst of rain on Thursday evening. |
| Devon and Somerset fire service said Crewkerne, Ilminster, Shepton Mallet and Wells were most severely affected, | Devon and Somerset fire service said Crewkerne, Ilminster, Shepton Mallet and Wells were most severely affected, |
| Four people were rescued when their car became stuck in a flood at Langford Bridge near Honiton, in Devon. | Four people were rescued when their car became stuck in a flood at Langford Bridge near Honiton, in Devon. |
| By late Thursday night, the flooding was beginning to subside almost as soon as it had begun, but hundreds of homes have been flood-damaged. We had about seven cars stuck in water leaving the showground Dan Mountain, Avon and Somerset Police | By late Thursday night, the flooding was beginning to subside almost as soon as it had begun, but hundreds of homes have been flood-damaged. We had about seven cars stuck in water leaving the showground Dan Mountain, Avon and Somerset Police |
| At the storm's peak, the fire brigade was taking calls "every few seconds" from worried residents, with more than 350 emergency calls received in two and a half hours. | At the storm's peak, the fire brigade was taking calls "every few seconds" from worried residents, with more than 350 emergency calls received in two and a half hours. |
| Spokesman Andy Newland said the flood happened in different circumstances to the deluges that wreaked havoc across parts of north, south and central England last summer. | Spokesman Andy Newland said the flood happened in different circumstances to the deluges that wreaked havoc across parts of north, south and central England last summer. |
| He said: "It was a typical flash flood gone almost as soon as quickly as it came. It has quietened down considerably overnight. | He said: "It was a typical flash flood gone almost as soon as quickly as it came. It has quietened down considerably overnight. |
| "It's very different from what happened in Gloucestershire because that built up for many days. | "It's very different from what happened in Gloucestershire because that built up for many days. |
| "This was literally that a tremendous amount of water came down with very little warning and the surface water drainage couldn't handle it." | "This was literally that a tremendous amount of water came down with very little warning and the surface water drainage couldn't handle it." |
| Many people attending the annual Bath and West show in Shepton Mallet were stranded as they tried to leave the flood-hit showground. | Many people attending the annual Bath and West show in Shepton Mallet were stranded as they tried to leave the flood-hit showground. |
| Dan Mountain, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We had about seven cars stuck in water leaving the showground. | Dan Mountain, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We had about seven cars stuck in water leaving the showground. |
| "We considered bringing in the RAF helicopter but it was not required and it was stood down." | "We considered bringing in the RAF helicopter but it was not required and it was stood down." |
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| People leaving the Bath and West showground in heavy rain | People leaving the Bath and West showground in heavy rain |