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Storm Katie: Flooding closes M6 and drivers rescued from cars

Torrential rain and snow flurries forced the closure of a motorway and left motorists stranded in floods on main and side roads throughout the West Midlands and Staffordshire this morning.

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The M6 was shut between Junctions 13 and 14 for Stafford as water cascaded across the carriageway from fields blocking the motorway in both directions for a time.

Initially just the northbound carriageway was affected but there was soon standing water on the southbound side, and although this remained open, speed restrictions were in place.

All lanes on the northbound carriageway have now reopened.

Traffic on the M6 is backed up to Junction 12, picture: Paul Milgate-Scarrott
Crews work to clear the road, picture: Central Motorway Police Group

A gulley cleaner was sent to clear drainage channels in the area so that the motorway could be reopened after the flood drained away.

West Midlands and Staffordshire fire service crews rescued several stranded motorists after being inundated with a spate of calls to flooded roads between 5am and 7am this morning. Most had been hit by water coming off nearby fields.

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A man was removed from his car on the main Wolverhampton to Kidderminster A449 road near Whittington Manor in Kinver by firefighters from Brierley Hill after the Ford Mondeo cut out in eight inch deep water.

Another man was rescued after becoming stranded in flood water in Gayton Lane, Stafford.

Watch Commander Rob Fullwood explained: "It had congregated in a slight dip in the road which is not well lit and he was not familiar with the area and his engine cut out in the middle of it."

Water coming off the fields is causing the flooding, picture: Central Motorway Police Group

Another driver had to be towed out of a flood on Warstone Lane, Stafford at 6.12am while half an hour later crews from Dudley and Wombourne pushed a VW Golf out of water a foot deep in which it had got stuck. Watch Commander Paul Danby from Dudley said: "Both West Midlands and Staffordshire fire services would recommend that motorists do not try to drive through flood water. They put not only their own lives but those of others at risk. Fortunately this was sufficiently shallow for us to push it out but that is not always the case."

A woman driver was rescued from her stranded car in another flood on Gilbert Lane, Wombourne at 7.13am and another driver was reported trapped in his car in floods on Essington road, willenhall.

Mid Point Park on Kingsbury Road, Tyburn was also said to flooded as was Riverside Road in Upper Tean near Cheadle where a house owner reported the river had not flooded its banks but was 'an inch' from his front door.

Rickerscote Avenue, Moss Pit, Stafford was also said to be flooded as were parts of Long Compton, Staffordshire.

Heavy rain moving north-eastwards across England and Wales presents a risk of localised flooding, while motorists are warned to be wary of branches falling from trees in the high winds.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: "There is likely to be a lot of surface spray on the roads, there could be localised flooding, and the winds could cause branches to come off the trees, and one or two tiles off the roof.

"Allow extra time for your journey and if possible try and delay your journey as winds will tend to ease off throughout the day."

Winds of up to 60mph are forecast inland, with speeds of 70mph expected along the south coast, especially towards exposed areas across the south and south-east.

The Met Office tweeted that gusts of 77mph had been recorded at Berry Head, Devon and The Needles, Isle of Wight, saw winds of 87mph.

Those travelling back from breaks across the country are advised to be careful on the roads, and if possible delay their journeys until later this afternoon.

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