Woman swept 100m from her car in notorious ford as storm brings rain and travel disruption
A motorist has been rescued from fast-flowing water after being swept 100 metres from her car, as travel disruption, outdoor attraction closures and a weather warning for rain hit the region in the wake of Storm Babet.
At Trescott Ford, near Wolverhampton, a woman, believed to be aged in her 60s, had tried to pass through the ford, a notorious flooding blackspot, in Trescott Lane, Wombourne, shortly before 11.45am on Friday when she got into difficulty.
West Midlands Fire Service said she was able to get out of the vehicle which was then pushed downstream by the high water.
The driver was then swept a further 100m before managing to grab a nearby tree branch.
Rescue workers arriving at the scene entered the water and led the woman to safety. She is understood to have been taken by ambulance to New Cross Hospital for a check-up following her ordeal.
Crews from Tettenhall and Wolverhampton stations responded to the incident, along with a crew from Staffordshire. They left the scene shortly after 1pm.
Disruption on the public transport network this morning included no West Midlands Railway services between Walsall and Rugeley.
Meanwhile, in Stafford, Doxey Road long and short Stay car parks, and Riverside Undercroft (M&S) car park were closed due to flooding. High water at the River Sow resulted in some flooding in Victoria Park in Tenterbanks.
Stafford Borough Council said that Doxey Road long stay permit holders can instead use the Waterfront multi-storey car park.
In Bewdley, where flood barriers were unable to erected on Friday due to "plant equipment failures", the Environment Agency reported that defences were now up to the required level, except at Beales Corner, where ongoing flood defence construction work means barriers cannot be used.
The EA said the River Severn is expected to peak in Bewdley on Monday and that the community in the Beales Corner area was being supported in preparation.
Cancelled public events included pumpkin picking at Severn Valley Cottage, near Arley, close to Kidderminster.
