Alert as River Severn levels rise

Barriers remain in place in Upton-upon-Severn

A severe flood alert has been removed from part of the River Severn in Worcestershire, although the river is still rising elsewhere.

Levels at Stourport-on-Severn and Bewdley peaked on Tuesday evening and in Worcester on Wednesday.

The river is expected to reach its peak in Upton-upon-Severn on Thursday.

Lower level flood warnings remain on the Severn at Bewdley, Stourport and for the stretch of river between Worcester and Gloucester.

In Worcester, Hylton Road and Grandstand Road by the river have been closed while flood barriers are in place in Upton-upon-Severn.

People living and working on Hylton Road are still able to use it, but the Environment Agency said the threat of water seeping under the barriers had forced its closure to all other traffic.

'Dire situation'

The flood warnings come as the Bewdley-based National Flood Forum Charity lobbies MPs after its funding was cut last month.

The forum's chief executive Mary Dhonau said she hoped to discuss the forum's funding situation with the MPs, calling the situation "dire".

"There has been a huge rise in demand in our work since the summer flooding - and the forum is only made up of me and a group of volunteers," she said.

The Environment Agency said it had given the forum £250,000 in the past four years.

A spokeswoman said: "Earlier this year we held discussions on the service they could offer on behalf of the Environment Agency.

"We advised them to submit costings which we still await.

"Over the time we have supported the National Flood Forum, we have lobbied Defra, the Association of British Insurers and individual insurers on the National Flood Forum's behalf to ask if they would increase the funding to the organisation."

The River Severn in Bewdley peaked at 4.91m (16.1ft) at 1930 GMT on Tuesday and by Wednesday morning had fallen to 4.83m (15.8ft).

Many towns in Worcestershire were cut off during last summer's floods and some people have still not been able to return home.