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Heed lessons of floods says Brown Flood lessons 'must be learned'
(20 minutes later)
Lessons must be learned from the floods, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said, after severe weather caused chaos across parts of England and Wales.Lessons must be learned from the floods, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said, after severe weather caused chaos across parts of England and Wales.
Thousands were forced into emergency centres overnight and schoolchildren and drivers were left stranded.Thousands were forced into emergency centres overnight and schoolchildren and drivers were left stranded.
The RAF said it had carried out one of its biggest peacetime rescues. More rain was due in the North and Midlands and 16 severe flood warnings remain. The RAF said it had carried out one of its biggest peacetime rescues. More heavy rain was due in the south-east and 12 severe flood warnings remain.
Mr Brown said the way transport and drainage had coped would be assessed.Mr Brown said the way transport and drainage had coped would be assessed.
Families were forced to spend the night on the M5 while about 20 special needs children remain trapped in a school. He said the flooding had been "an emergency that no-one could have predicted".
Emergency rescues "One of the issues that will arise is how co-ordinated the services are between the Highways Agency and the Environment Agency, in this particular instance, where people have been inconvenienced using transport, whether it's the roads or the railways," Mr Brown said.
Emergency services are taking the strain. The West Midlands Ambulance Service has made a plea for people not to call unless it is an emergency.
TRAVEL CHAOS Heathrow airport - delays possible, check with operator before travellingM5 - open in both directions, traffic moving slowlyCentral/Virgin Trains - many services from Birmingham New St suspendedFirst Great Western - some services suspended from Oxford, Reading, Swindon and GloucesterM50 in Worcestershire - remains closed in both directionsWest Midlands/Warks - parts of A41, A452, A428, A423 closed Latest from BBC Travel Heathrow flight backlogTRAVEL CHAOS Heathrow airport - delays possible, check with operator before travellingM5 - open in both directions, traffic moving slowlyCentral/Virgin Trains - many services from Birmingham New St suspendedFirst Great Western - some services suspended from Oxford, Reading, Swindon and GloucesterM50 in Worcestershire - remains closed in both directionsWest Midlands/Warks - parts of A41, A452, A428, A423 closed Latest from BBC Travel Heathrow flight backlog
"Now these are lessons we can learn for the future."
Families were forced to spend the night on the M5 while about 20 children remain trapped at the Vale of Evesham Special School in Evesham.
The youngsters look set to spend a second night there after police turned back parents attempting to reach them through the floodwaters.
Emergency rescues
The West Midlands Ambulance Service has made a plea for people not to call unless it is an emergency.
And Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said it had received more than 2,000 calls in 27 hours. It has so far rescued more than 750 people who were stranded in cars, caravans, houses and boats.And Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said it had received more than 2,000 calls in 27 hours. It has so far rescued more than 750 people who were stranded in cars, caravans, houses and boats.
Children trapped at the Vale of Evesham Special School in Evesham look set to spend a second night there after police turned back parents attempting to reach them through the floodwaters. Congestion is reported at Heathrow airport and on many roads and rail services, on one of the busiest weekends of the year at the start of many school holidays.
Congestion is reported at Heathrow airport and on many roads and rail services, on one of the busiest weekends of the year at the start on many school holidays. Thousands of motorists were stranded overnight on the M5
The Highways Agency said it did not expect congestion of the M5 to ease before Saturday afternoon.The Highways Agency said it did not expect congestion of the M5 to ease before Saturday afternoon.
Many rail services have been cancelled, with no replacement bus service because roads have been closed.Many rail services have been cancelled, with no replacement bus service because roads have been closed.
Thousands of motorists were stranded overnight on the M5
Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire are among the worst hit counties, with police warning holidaymakers against travel through Worcestershire and Herefordshire for at least 24 hours.Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire are among the worst hit counties, with police warning holidaymakers against travel through Worcestershire and Herefordshire for at least 24 hours.
The Environment Agency has issued 16 severe flood warnings, stretching from Lincolnshire to the Midlands and the Welsh borders. Parts of the Rivers Severn, Avon, Arrow, Dene, Tame, Great Ouse and Teme are affected. The Environment Agency has issued 11 severe flood warnings for the Midlands alone, with parts of the Rivers Severn, Avon, Dene, Isbourne, Stour and Teme affected.
Head of the Environment Agency, Baroness Young, said there was a risk of more flooding in many areas, even where the rain had stopped. And it has warned that Oxford, Berkshire and London are at "serious risk" of flooding in the coming two days after some areas received more than two months' rain in just 24 hours.
The main developments include:
    		The main developments include:
    • Lifeboat crews rescued holidaymakers stranded on top of their caravans in Droitwich, Kidderminster, Wick, Pershore and Hawford
      • YOUR PICTURES Your images of flooding from around the country Your pics: GloucestershireYOUR PICTURES Your images of flooding from around the country Your pics: Gloucestershire
    • Lifeboat crews rescued holidaymakers stranded on top of their caravans in Droitwich, Kidderminster, Wick, Pershore and Hawford
    • Around 2,000 people spent the night in emergency centres in Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Chipping Campden and Moreton in Marsh
    • Around 2,000 people spent the night in emergency centres in Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Chipping Campden and Moreton in Marsh
    • Twenty two schoolchildren and eight members of staff from Blackwood school in Newport, Gwent spent the night in Ludlow's leisure centre overnight when they were stranded by the floods
    • Twenty two schoolchildren and eight members of staff from Blackwood school in Newport, Gwent spent the night in Ludlow's leisure centre overnight when they were stranded by the floods
    • In Birmingham 200 people were evacuated from Witton and Tame Roads in the Aston district when the River Tame overflowed at about midnight
    • In Birmingham 200 people were evacuated from Witton and Tame Roads in the Aston district when the River Tame overflowed at about midnight
    • Lincolnshire County Council says the flooding is worse on Saturday than on Friday, with widespread road flooding across the county, including Louth and Horncastle
    • Lincolnshire County Council says the flooding is worse on Saturday than on Friday, with widespread road flooding across the county, including Louth and Horncastle
    • Around 70 homes and shops in Buckingham have been flooded following rising levels on the River Ouse. More than 2,500 sandbags have been used to try to limit the damage to property.
    • Around 70 homes and shops in Buckingham have been flooded following rising levels on the River Ouse. More than 2,500 sandbags have been used to try to limit the damage to property.
      • HAVE YOUR SAY No wonder there's so much flooding. The roadside drains are simply not cleaned out until people actually complain to their councils. Craig, Bradford Send us your experiences Lincoln flood warningsHAVE YOUR SAY No wonder there's so much flooding. The roadside drains are simply not cleaned out until people actually complain to their councils. Craig, Bradford Send us your experiences Lincoln flood warnings
      Sleeping bags About 100 people have also been airlifted to safety by RAF helicopter crews, most from the Gloucester, Evesham and Tewkesbury areas.
      The centre of Stratford-upon-Avon is under water and the Royal Shakespeare Company has been forced to close its Swan Theatre. The prime minister praised the "superb" efforts of the emergency services and "huge contribution" of the Armed Forces to rescue effort.
      The Wakestock Music Festival in north Wales has also been cancelled because of safety concerns. BBC broadcast meteorologist Susan Powell said heavy, thundery showers were expected in the south-east on Sunday night.
      And John Kelly, Oxfordshire's county emergency planner, said passengers had been taken off trains in Oxford and Banbury and brought to Cherwell School in north Oxford, which had been turned into a rest centre. Some rain could push into the south Midlands, but areas previously worst-hit would be spared, she said.
      "We've ordered 150 sleeping bags from the Army... and some of my staff have gone down to the local Tesco to get things like towels, toothpaste and soap. She added that Sunday would be drier for most parts, but further heavy rain could arrive across England and Wales on Monday, possibly leading to further disruption and flooding.
      "This is part of our plan, this is a thing we plan for, and we make arrangements for, but things always go wrong.
      "This is not the first choice of school, because the one we were going to had actually been flooded itself."
      'Island town'
      One woman contacted the BBC to express her concerns over her family, who she said had been trapped on the M5 for several hours.
      WHAT CAUSED THE HEAVY RAIN? A broad band of low pressure has been sitting across the UKThis pushed the jet stream further south than usualIn turn, this kept high pressure and settled weather away from the UK Source: BBC broadcast meteorologist Daniel Corbett
      "My family including my elderly grandparents who are diabetic and my mother who also suffers from the condition have been stranded on the M5 for nine hours now with hardly any food or water," she said on Friday evening.
      A bus with 30 holidaymakers aged between 65 and 88 spent the night on the M5, after leaving Scarborough for South Wales at 0930 BST on Friday.
      After spending the night in his car on the M5, Simon Clarke said there was no anger among motorists but it was "not nice" because there were no facilities.
      BBC broadcast meteorologist Matt Taylor said there was a slim risk of torrential rain in the south and south east of England and that overall rain would remain heavy in the Midlands and north of England.
      He also warned that further flooding could occur as Friday's heavy rain continued to filter through the river system.