Fire crews rescue drivers from flood water in Devon

Motorists have been rescued from their cars after more heavy rain deluged the county.

Traffic control teams also reported several landslips and a road collapse in Devon.

Fire crews rescued people from cars in Teigngrace and Sidmouth and in Colyford one person was rescued after being found on top of their vehicle in 2ft  of flood water.

St James' Road in Exeter was this morning closed in both directions between the Oxford Road junction and the Old Tiverton Road junction, because of a landslip.*

Roads in Newton Abbot, Bovey Tracey, Exton and parts of east Devon were hardest hit by floodwater, Devon County Council said. Fallen trees were reported on the A379 near Shaldon, and Luscombe Hill in Dawlish, meanwhile the River Otter burst its banks at Otterton.

Ashburton Primary School near Newton Abbot was closed after part of a road outside it collapsed.

The Environment Agency has 10 flood warnings and 19 flood alerts in force for the county.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “Our highways teams are working hard to deal with a number of incidents – flooding, landslips, fallen trees, and blocked roads so do expect the possibility of delays but we are trying to minimise disruption as much as possible. We would urge everyone travelling to be aware of surface water and not to drive through floodwater.

* Exeter City Football Club's Football in the Community Trust, which now administers the car park at the former Fountain Centre next door to St James Park as a long-term car-parking facility, would like to offer a temporary parking space to anyone in St James Road who has been affected by the wall collapse. Please contact Jamie Vittles, Head of Community, on 07711 331452 for more information.