Storm Babet danger warnings still in place as region braces itself for flooding from swollen rivers

It comes after a man died when he was caught in fast-flowing flood water from a brook in Cleobury Mortimer on Saturday morning and more than a dozen drivers had to abandon their vehicles as they drove through flooded roads in Shropshire.

On Saturday there were 15 red, flood warnings and 17 orange flood alerts in place in the county and on its English borders, while all down the Welsh border there are 12 flood warnings and five alerts.

The A483 between Oswestry and Newtown is closed in three places, at Llanymynech, Pool Quay north of Welshpool and a stretch north of Newtown.

Rail services have also been badly hit in Shropshire and Mid Wales.

Trains between Shrewsbury and Chester are not running because of flooding at Gobowen station. Network Rail says distruption is likely to last throughout Saturday.

The Shrewsbury to Machynlleth line is also blocked by flooding as is the Heart of Wales line.

Frankwell and St Julian's car parks are closed in Shrewsbury, with visitors to the town urged to use the Park and Ride and flood barriers in place.

With the huge volume of water racing town the Vyrnwy and Severn, the river level in Shrewsbury is not expected to peak until Sunday.

Flood barriers were being put up in Ironbridge on Saturday, with The Wharfage closed to traffic. Parts of Ironbridge were under several feet of water on Friday but the town is bracing itself for more misery as the Severn continues to rise - before moving south to Bridgnorth.

To the south, Tenbury was under water. Retired Environment Agency officer Dave Throup said the water through the town was sad to see.

The water levels in Tenby peaked on Friday night and shop owners who moved stock and put sandbags at their doors were returning on Saturday to see if there was any damage.

The team at the Regal cinema in Tenbury thanked volunteers who devoted their afternoon on Friday to protecting the building from the risk of flooding.

While the rain subsided overnight, people are still being warned that the swollen rivers and brooks and flooded roads could prove a danger.

Shropshire Council said: "Driving conditions remain difficult and roads are liable to suffer localised flash flooding due to heavy surface water, as well as obstructions such as broken-down vehicles.

"Do not drive into floodwaters. Not only is it a risk to life for drivers but abandoning vehicles in floods risk blocking emergency access routes."

"For personal safety please avoid rivers, streams and brooks and keep pets at a safe distance too."

Roads closed in the region include The Battlefield link road, Shrewsbury; B4394 in Telford & Wrekin between Alscott railway bridge and Bluebell Lane railway bridge; A483, Llanymynech; A483 north of Newtown between Castle Caereinion and Montgomery junctions; A458 between Meifod and Guildfield junctions; A456 Newnham Bridge, Tenbury.

However emergency services say dozens of smaller roads will still be under water.

Over the border in South Staffordshire a motorist has been rescued from fast-flowing water after being swept 100 metres from her car. At Trescott Ford, in Wombourne, a woman, believed to be in her 60s, had tried to pass through the ford, a notorious flooding blackspot, shortly before 11.45am on Friday when she got into difficulty.

West Midlands Fire Service said she was able to get out of the vehicle which was then pushed downstream by the high water.

The driver was then swept a further 100m before managing to grab a nearby tree branch.

Rescue workers arriving at the scene entered the water and led the woman to safety. She is understood to have been taken by ambulance to hospital for a check-up following her ordeal.

Meanwhile, cancelled weekend public events included pumpkin picking at Severn Valley Cottage, near Arley, close to Bridgnorth, and AFC Telford United's trip to AFC Sudbury was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.