Drivers warned as flood alerts issued

6:00pm Friday 5th September 2008

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Oxfordshire was given a severe weather warning today as Met Office forecasters predicted heavy rain.

About 20mm (0.8 inches) to 40mm (1.6 inches) of rain is expected to fall across Oxfordshire, about two thirds of the average amount of rainfall for September, 61mm.

At 6pm today, there were flood watches on three tributaries of the River Thames - the Evenlode, Ray and Windrush, according to the Environment Agency, with flooding of low-lying land and roads expected.

This evening, the River Cole and Dorcan Brook, for the East Swindon Area down to Lechlade were also put on flood watch.

Met Office forecaster Stephen Holman urged drivers to take care on the roads, and said: "There will be persistent rain throughout the day and the trend throughout the morning is that it will become heavier.

"Then there will be clearer weather pushing through from the South West in the first part of the afternoon, but following that there will scattered heavy showers, and possibly some thunderstorms.

"It's going to be a very unsettled day and the ground will be very wet because we have already had some rain overnight."