WILD WEEK-END

WEATHER

RENNEWAL OF GALES

ANXIETY OVER SEVERN

FLOODS

The stormy wet weather which swept most parts of the country during the past week showed little signs of change yesterday. There had been hopes that floods in the West and south had passed their peak, but during the night the gales increased in force, accompanied by heavy falls of rain.

Snow began to fall in parts of Yorkshire last night, and there were three inches in the lowlands of Wensleydale before midnight.

Fears of a disastrous flood at Shrewsbury over the week-end were not realized although the River Severn rose to 16ft. 1 lin. at Montford Bridge. The flood warden service had warned all people living along the Sevem banks in low-lying cottages, and they moved furniture and carpets to upper storeys. Some families were marooned, and milk and papers were delivered by punt. A fooded gas main in Abbey Foregate prevented several families from cooking, but wardens delivered hot meals from the civic restaurant. At one time, at Shrewsbury, the river was 16ft. 3in.

Last night the Severn dropped to l1ft. 9in. at Montford Bridge, over 12ft. above normal, and, at the Welsh Bridge, to l5ft. lin., as against 16ft. 3in. at the peak.

VILLAGE ISOLATED

However; police flood-control centres reported thait the Severn continued to rise throughout the day at all. points between Shrewsbury and Gloucester. A rise of 4in. in eight hours during the day brought the level at Worcester to Ilft. 6in. above normal. Worcester County cricket ground was submerged. The village of Muchelney, Somerset, which has been completely isolated for a week, is still receiving supplies by horse-trap and flatbottomed boat, and aU cattle have been moved to higher ground.

Floods in the marsh area round Rye and Winchelsea, and along the Rother valley, which had begun to subside, were last night rising again, while farther north, after a day of continuous rain, the Great Ouse overflowed its banks in several parts of Bedfordshire.

A brief lull in the gales and a sunny morning yesterday in the Straits of Dover permitted 20 ships, storm-bound since Friday, off Deal, and a number sheltering in Margate Roads to set off again, but last night, in worsening conditions, ships were again sheltering off Deal and Margate.