SVR washed out by rain
Part of the Severn Valley Railway was washed away and dozens of homes flooded by torrential rain which turned the Wyre Forest into a "mini-Boscastle."
Floodwater swept through homes, left motorists stranded and washed away the parapet of a bridge.
Two-thirds of the railway were closed when two weeks' worth of rain fell in 45 minutes, causing landslides which blocked sections of track between Arley and Hampton Loade.
In some places, embankments were washed away completely, leaving the rails suspended in mid-air.
Up to 2in of rain fell in parts of the region in just two hours – leaving fire crews to struggling to cope with hundreds of calls for help.
Weather warnings were issued to motorists today because of the aftermath of the floods. Thunderstorms are predicted to return tomorrow.
The Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley areas, along with parts of Shropshire, took the brunt of the downpours.
The Severn Valley rail damage left today's services running only between Kidderminster and Bewdley.
Off-duty crews volunteered to help out with 300 call-outs in the space of six hours in Worcestershire alone.
Most rain appears to have fallen around the villages of Shrawley and Astley, near Stourport.
A man and his dog were stranded at a house in Priors Mill when the rain-swollen Dick Brook turned into a raging torrent and water surrounded the property. Kidderminster fire station watch manager Mel Turbutt described the scenes as "like a mini-Boscastle".
Paramedics were called to help another man who cut his feet on broken glass while wading through floodwater.
The force of the water was so great that the sandstone parapet of the bridge on the B416 road through Shrawley to Stourport was washed away.
Twenty people were trapped in cars by flood water on the Worcester Road near Tenbury Wells.
More drivers became trapped at Clows Top and the A44 road between Worcester and Bromyard was flooded for most of its length and water also affected the Stourport to Great Witley road. People at Far Forest were trapped in caravans.
Householders near Bewdley were among those counting the cost with at least ten homes flooded.
