Moment flash floods rampage through Somerset town as two people are rescued and homes are evacuated after river burst its banks - as parts of the UK are set for MORE downpours
This is the dramatic moment flash floods rampaged through a town leading to damaged homes, blocked roads and several stranded cars.
Emergency shelters have been set up to help people whose homes were damaged after heavy rainfall in Somerset on Monday evening.
Chard is one of the worst hit areas with people sharing pictures on the chaos caused by the deluge.
More than 25 different roads in the town were affected by the floodwaters, leaving some people having to wade through several inches of water inside their own homes.
Avon Fire and Rescue said it received around 80 calls and two people had to be rescued from their vehicle after it got stuck in floodwater along the A358 before being taken by boat to dry land.
The town's Mayor, Jason Baker, posted on Facebook: 'Anyone needing shelter or a warm drink please head to the Guildhall, we will coordinate help and support as we can.'
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for rain on Monday which was extended to the early hours of this morning.
Forecasters predicted difficult driving conditions, road closures, transport delays and building damage.
Flash floods rampaged through a town in Somerset on Monday leading to damaged homes, blocked roads and several stranded cars
Residents living in Chard were faced with a nightmare situation yesterday after significant downpours lead to flash floods in their hometowns
Chard is one of the worst hit areas with people sharing pictures on the chaos caused by the deluge. Pictured: Cars swamped by flood water
Flood damage has closed roads near Chard in Somerset after it is washed away by flash flooding from yesterday's torrential downpours
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said multiple roads had to be closed and teams from Travel Somerset were working overnight to clear debris from the roads.
The road outside Lilias Ahmeira's home near Chard has been severely damaged by the water.
She described the scenes that unfolded as the flooding started at 4.30pm on Monday: 'We put sandbags either side of the front door hoping it would hold the torrent of water.
'It was terrifying. It's just horrific. There are huge gouges out of the road.
'We rang 999 but the emergency services couldn't get to us. We just didn't expect this to happen. I bought a house on a hill not to get flooded but there was raging river water.'
She added: 'We have no road so we can't get in or out. There is tarmac and rubble piled up in mangled messes that I can't believe.
'The furniture is wet and we've taken the carpets and rugs out. It's devastation.The floors are all up, there's soggy carpet, but we're safe.'
Ms Ahmeira said: 'It started going around 5pm. We had water coming in the back and the front - there was a four or five foot raging river going past.
'My house is on a lane with a hedge so the water built up - then with the tarmac turning over from the road it created a bow wave.
'We had sandbags and water was still pouring through. It went above the windows, it was all happening so fast.
'We've now got a massive, tangled mass of tarmac and rubble on the road. We are stranded, I don't know how long it's going to take highways to get here.
'We're alive, we're fine, worse things happen at sea.'
Avon Fire and Rescue said it received around 80 calls and two people had to be rescued from their vehicle after it got stuck in floodwater along the A358. Pictured: Torrents in Whitestaunton, Somerset
Flood damage has closed roads near Chard in Somerset after it is washed away by flash flooding from yesterday's torrential downpours
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for rain on Monday which was extended to the early hours of this morning with forecasters prediction difficult driving conditions, road closures, transport delays and building damage
According to traffic monitoring site Inrix, it appears roads have now reopened but people are being advised to take extra care on the roads
Resident Roger Harris said on Monday: 'Three inches of rain in an hour this afternoon. Our recycling bins have been spotted passing a friend's house in the next village.'
Isobel Loader, from Forton, said she had not realised how much the water had risen and was alerted by a neighbour.
'We were quietly watching television and suddenly the neighbours came in and said 'do you realise what's going on' and there was water right up to our steps at the back and all in the garage in the front,' she said.
Mayor of Chard Jason Baker described the flooding as 'quite phenomenal'.
He added: 'It wasn't what we were expecting, it was far far worse. I haven't known it like this for 15-odd years.'
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said multiple roads had to be closed and teams from Travel Somerset were working overnight to clear debris from the roads
Flood damage has closed roads near Chard in Somerset after it is washed away by flash flooding from yesterday's torrential downpours
According to traffic monitoring site Inrix, it appears roads have now reopened but people are being advised to take extra care on the roads.
A post on Chard Fire Station's Facebook page said: 'Wow! What a night? As Firefighters all we want to be able to do is save life, protect property and serve the community we work and live in.
'The hardest thing is having to say 'there's nothing we can do' or 'we physically cannot get to you.'
Jim Everard, the chairman of Winsham Parish Council, said he had been part of a team that tried to prevent flooding in his area.
'There was a team of about 20 or 30 villagers for two or three hours, sandbagging, putting up scaffold boards, using brooms, doing anything we could do to stop the water getting in,' he said. J
John Woodman, Somerset County Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: 'Teams from the emergency services, Somerset County Council and South Somerset District Council - not to mention volunteers and the community - did an incredible job and we will now assess the damage and make any repairs as quickly as we can.'
A red flood warning remains in place on part of the River Isle from Chard Reservoir to Hambridge.
The warning indicates that flooding is expected in the area and immediate action is required to ensure safety.
Two people had to be rescued from their vehicle after it got stuck in floodwater along the A358 before being taken by boat to dry land as roads flooded
More than 25 different roads in the town were affected by the floodwaters, leaving some people having to wade through several inches of water inside their own homes
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for rain on Monday which was extended to the early hours of this morning
Meanwhile, northern parts of England are predicted to have clouds with sunny spells throughout the week, with a possibility of showers in the north-west on Saturday and Sunday. Highs of 22C are predicted for most days.
The north-east should be fine throughout the week, with intermittent cloudy and sunny days predicted and highs of 18C.
Southern England has a more miserable prediction, with a yellow warning in place for a second day in parts of the south west due to heavy thunderstorms.
The warning states some flooding may occur, in places such as Brighton and Weymouth, until about 3am.
However the rest of the region, similar to the Midlands, will have better weather throughout the week - largely cloudy with the odd sunny day and temperatures reaching highs of 20C.
Scotland is largely dry with cloud and sunny spells through the week, with patches of rain predicted for the weekend. Temperatures should reach 22C throughout the week.
The Met Office said the nation had the highest and lowest recorded temperatures on Monday as well as the sunniest weather, while southern England recorded the highest rainfall.
Wales is also expected to have cloud with some sun throughout the week, while the weekend is also expected to be wet, with highs of 18C over the next six days.