Mid Devon avoids worst of county-wide flooding (From Mid Devon Star)

Mid Devon avoids worst of county-wide flooding

9:31am Monday 9th July 2012 in Devon

RESIDENTS and businesses across Devon are counting the cost after devastating floods caused when a month’s worth of rain fell in just 12 hours.

Hundreds of homes and businesses were wrecked as Devon bore the brunt of the storm which swept through in the early hours of Saturday.

The Mid Devon region around Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton seemed to avoid the worst of the flooding but areas of the South Devon coast were washed away after persistent heavy rain burst river banks, turned roads into streams and made driving conditions hazardous.

Fire crews were called out to several properties in Priory Road and Bridge Street in Tiverton and to two vehicles in 4ft of flood water at Feniton, Honiton, which one woman had to be rescued from.

There were also a couple of reports of flooding in Crediton.

The Blackdown Woodland Fair, which was due to be staged on Saturday at Park Farm near Wellington in Somerset, was another of the victims of the weather.

The whole of the Devon Premier cricket league schedule was wiped out and many other sporting fixtures were heavily disrupted.

Environment Agency flood warnings were issued to the River Culm between Wellington and Cullompton but after dry spells on Sunday this worry has been elevated.