Puckshole closed - Ruscombe brook at its highest

Ebley Mill carpark today was half closed due to flooding - and several roads in the District were closed - forecasts are saying that an astonishing average of 50mm of rainfall could fall within 24 hours. See useful article here re weather worldwide.

Photos: Ebley Mill carpark today, then the mini-landslip that blocked Puckshole and below further down 2 photos of the Ruscombe brook at Mill Pond Farm

In Cheltenham the fire service has apparently been inundated with reports of flood water entering cellars in shops and homes, and in Gloucester fire crews were reported on the BBC to have rescued 50 dogs and 20 cats stranded in kennels.

While many local roads are opening Puckshole is still closed to traffic - the Ruscombe brook was the highest we've seen it - Puckshole completely flooded this morning, about 2ft of water in Cooke’s builders’ yard.

One email to me today noted a "massive discharge of a brown smelly water like content into the brook, going across our drive and taking with it substantial mud and plants from the bank. Further up - embankment from Folly Farm – landslide making Parkend impassable by car (yes indeed it could have been the new footpath!). We have taken photos and been busy for a good 1 ½ hour protecting properties. I have reported this to SDC and EA (the later was not too keen but no one knows what is stored at the builders yard possible chemicals or asbestos??!)."

The email continued: "The water has taken substantial surface covering from my driveway and the bank to the brook is ruined – many hours of work trying to improve it are gone!"

In another email a brook member further down the brook notes: "Water was torrenting out from our drive culvert and flooding the low areas all along the brook. Photos attached, you notice the boat was out!"

It is too early to say how much the river is overflowing and how much it is the sewers - if at all? Although I'd be surprised if they managed to cope with this level of rainfall without overflowing.....