More heavy rain brings floods chaos to New Forest and Christchurch

FLOODING caused huge disruption after more heavy rain fell across an already deluged New Forest and Christchurch over the weekend.

The downpours came at the end of an eventful week for the region, in which marooned motorists had to be rescued from floodwater on Brockenhurst roads.

A yellow alert for rain had been issued the Met Office, stretching from midnight on Saturday to 11.59pm last night (Sunday).

This warned that roads and properties could be flooded as at least 15-30mm of water was expected to land in most areas.

People took to local social media pages to share images of some of the dramatic effects of the adverse weather.

Meg Tolhurst posted images of Mudeford Quay and its surroundings covered with floodwater yesterday (Sunday).

“Went to visit my two swans but needed my water wings this morning,” she wrote.

She also reported having seen an upside down boat in the car park outside the Haven, along a bench which been blown from the waterside.

This afternoon (Monday), more pictures were shared featuring a number of boats and paddleboards that had sunk or blown away at Mudeford Quay.

Others showed water had reached the beach huts and the Beach House cafe on the harbour side of the quay yesterday.

Graham Wiffen shared pictures of the scene at Christchurch Quay after the River Stour burst its banks.

Water had flowed beyond the benches overlooking it and covered part of the car park.

A resident complained of vehicles travelling too fast through floodwater on nearby Wick Lane, sending its wash towards properties’ front doors.

There were similar complaints concerning the often-flooded Derritt Lane in Bransgore until it was closed this morning as police tried to move a stranded vehicle.

Firefighters responded to a call-out shortly after 2.30pm today, reporting a burst water main had flooded the A35 Lyndhurst Road, near the Cat & Fiddle junction at Hinton.

A Christchurch crew pumped away the water to prevent it entering nearby properties before Bournemouth Water engineers took over.

However, police and paramedics were called out around 3.20pm after a two-vehicle crash at the scene.

No details of any injuries were available, but a Dorset Police spokesperson said one lane was blocked pending recovery of the vehicles.

Huge waves crashing over onto the promenade at Milford, off Hurst Road, were caught on camera by Jeannie Kendall on Saturday.

Richard West also took pictures of near-overflowing water levels at Lymington Harbour, near the Bath Road recreation ground.

Images of an overflowing Eling Harbour were shared yesterday evening by Ian Thomas.

There were also reports early this morning that Bartley Water had burst its banks and was flooding Bartley Park, off Lexby Road in Totton.