Drivers stranded on flooded road

The road flooded after a pumping station failed

Drivers were left stranded in their cars on a flooded road in Belfast city centre after thieves stole signs which indicated the route had been closed.

A Roads Service spokesperson said Laganbank Road flooded after a problem with a pumping station.

Linda Massie had to get out of her vehicle and wade through waist deep water when her car's engine failed.

"I thought the cones were alerting me to the fact that there was just a little bit of a puddle," she said.

"I then drove straight into the water and panicked.

Linda Massie had to wade through the water

"I didn't know how deep the water was and I imagined the car just sinking completely and the water coming over my head. I just started screaming to people to help me."

Joe Wilson, whose taxi also got stuck in the water, said the road has flooded in the past.

"When I got halfway through, the car just conked out because the water was twice as deep as what it normally is," he said.

"It ended up I had to get out and had to push and ask my customer to steer for me.

"It was a lost cause so I lifted my customer out of the car and carried her to dry land."

Roads Service said the pumping station became overwhelmed with the volume of water after the Lagan Weir was raised to help police with a search operation.