Floods: Homes flooded in Wraysbury

Villagers in their pyjamas came out of their homes at midnight to collect sandbags as houses flooded across Wraysbury in the early hours of this morning.

Councillor Colin Rayner, the local farmer who represents the village on the Royal Borough, said that he believed some homes in Ferry Lane, Ouseley Road, the Embankment and Friary Island had flooded, as well as in other village roads.

 He and flood warden Dave Francis were out in the middle of the night delivering 30 tons of extra sandbags that had just been delivered to his farm.

He said: "I could not hazard a guess how many homes are under water. Lives have been turned upside down. There has been a marvellous community spirit. People are helping each other.

"We have been told there is worse to come on Saturday. The Environment Agency now confirms that this could be as bad as in 2003."

But he admitted there was concerns that some suspicious looking vehicles had been spotted hovering near abandoned properties, saying: "I'm afraid criminals may be out and about."

Graham Sinclair, who is a trustee at Wraysbury Village Club, has invited anyone who loses power or whose home gets flooded to take shelter there.

Villager Don Gregory said: "If the current trend (rise) continues for another 48 hours we will be milllimetres away from the highest recorded level which will mean about 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the houses in Hythe End Road (including mine) will be flooded internally."