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School pupils trapped by floods Flood villagers winched to safety
(about 1 hour later)
About 20 special needs children have been trapped at a Worcestershire school overnight as a result of flooding. Twenty people were airlifted to safety from a building in Worcestershire as floods continued to hit the county.
They spent the night at the Vale of Evesham Special School in Evesham and were still unable to get out by Saturday morning. Crews from RAF Kinloss in Morayshire came to the aid of the stricken group in the village of Offenham.
Anne Starr from the school said: "Parents have been trying to get to us but have been turned back by police. Elsewhere in the county 200 people were stranded at the New Inn at Cropthorn overnight without power or water.
"We are planning to stay another night here." About 20 special needs children, who were trapped at the Vale of Evesham Special School in Evesham overnight, could be spending another night there.
Elsewhere in the county, two people had to be rescued from the River Avon. No power
Earlier RAF helicopters plucked more than 60 villagers from their rooftops and bedroom windows after a river in Worcestershire broke its banks. An eyewitness in Evesham watched caravans float down the river and bang into the main bridge.
The residents of Sedgeberrow had to be winched to safety on Friday night. About 10,000 vehicles were stranded overnight on the M5 in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
Firefighters also had to rescue children at Cherry Orchard Primary School in Worcester after water flowed into their building. The M5 and M50 motorways in the area later reopened but there were delays.
Train services in Worcester were disrupted after a landslide blocked a tunnel near Shrub Hill station.
Alex Mackie, from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue, said: "Most of the A B and C roads in Worcestershire and Herefordshire remain flooded and we are advising people not to get out of their cars if they're trapped in them, but to try to notify the authorities where they are.
"We're unable to get to some of the areas because of vehicles that have been abandoned in these floodwaters."
'Trapped' in house
The River Isbourne burst its banks causing dozens of homes in Sedgeberrow to flood.
Sixty-two people were winched from the roofs of their homes by helicopter and then lowered to rescue boats.
Specialist lifeboat teams were on their way to Worcestershire from Dorset to help with the rescue.
The Defford Road Bridge over Bow Brook on the A4104 was affectedThe Defford Road Bridge over Bow Brook on the A4104 was affected
Tom, from Stratford-upon-Avon, contacted the BBC News website saying his mother and stepfather lived about 30ft (10m) above the River Isbourne. The New Inn between Evesham and Pershore took in coachloads of people when a road collapsed and then floods cut off the area.
He said: "My step dad is now trapped upstairs on Winchcombe Road - the main road through the village. They had no power for about five hours and the mains water is still off.
"It's only a small river but it is just amazing how it rises. We had a similar problem 10 years ago. Justin Owen, a spokesman for RAF Kinloss, said five helicopters were out overnight and by Saturday lunchtime some had been operating for up to 12 hours.
"The depth in the lounge is apparently six foot high." He said: "In excess of 100 people (overall) have been rescued. Mainly it's been rescues from buildings, people trapped."
Dozens of residents were also being evacuated from a caravan park off the A44 at Petty Bridge, near Bromyard in Herefordshire, where the River Froome burst its banks, and a further rescue operation is in place at Evesham. Anne Starr, of the Evesham special school, said many of the children had a bed for the night because it was a residential school.
She said: "Parents have been trying to get to us but have been turned back by police. We are planning to stay another night here.
"We've managed to keep safe, we're dry, we've had plenty to eat, so we're OK.
Children rescued
"Some of the youngsters thought it was a great adventure. Others found it quite challenging as their routines have been changed."
Elsewhere in the county, two people had to be rescued from the River Avon.
Children had to be rescued from a Worcester primary schoolChildren had to be rescued from a Worcester primary school
In Ledbury a tunnel close to the railway station was also flooded causing severe disruption to trains between Worcester and Hereford, transport officials said. Earlier RAF helicopters plucked more than 60 villagers from their rooftops and bedroom windows in Sedgeberrow when the River Isbourne broke its banks.
Malvern Link railway station was reported to be under a foot of water and there was water on the line between Bromsgrove and Cheltenham. Firefighters also had to rescue children at Cherry Orchard Primary School in Worcester when water flowed into their building.
Hereford and Worcester fire brigade said it had dealt with more than 1,000 emergency calls since 1300 BST on Friday. Train services in Worcester were disrupted when a landslide blocked a tunnel near Shrub Hill station. Dozens of residents were evacuated from a caravan park off the A44 at Petty Bridge, near Bromyard in Herefordshire, where the River Froome burst its banks.
A spokesman said they were also taking calls from areas such as Kent because the system was overloaded in the south of England. In Ledbury a tunnel close to the railway station was also flooded, causing severe disruption to trains between Worcester and Hereford, transport officials said.
Four passable routes Malvern Link railway station was under a foot of water and there was water on the line between Bromsgrove and Cheltenham.
They have urged people to call them only if lives are at risk.
Emergency teams say they expect the Rivers Wye and Avon to cause more problems and are bracing themselves for several smaller rivers to burst.
Police have said there are now only four passable routes into Worcester.
Those roads - the A38, M5, M50 and the A4090 to Droitwich - have standing water on them and officers have urged drivers to be careful when travelling.
A rest centre has been set up at Evesham Leisure Centre for drivers unable to get home and people who cannot return to their properties.