Greater Anglia trains suspended and homes ruined after Storm Babet hits Suffolk

  • ITV News Anglia's Hannah Pettifer reports on the aftermath of Storm Babet in Framlingham

Greater Anglia trains continue to be suspended on some routes after flooding from Storm Babet hit a Suffolk town.

Services between Ipswich and Cambridge and Ipswich and Ely are not running because of heavy rain flooding the railway at Bury St Edmunds.

Greater Anglia said there was a limited replacement bus service between Ipswich and Cambridge but buses were unable to stop at Kennett.

The train operator added: "Disruption is expected until the end of the day. Passengers to/from Kennett please use the help point for alternate travel options.

"Passengers for Ely travelling on this route please travel via Cambridge.

"Greater Anglia and Network Rail are sorry if your journey has been affected by this disruption."

It comes a day after many Greater Anglia services from Ipswich and Norwich, Norwich and Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds were unable to run yesterday from the floods.

Rail replacement buses were not put on that day because of the severe weather.

Sandbags outside a property in Framlingham after Storm Babet. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Storm Babet caused a deluge of rain across East Anglia on Friday 20 October and Saturday 21 October.

Flood warnings remain in place across the region and a major incident was declared in Suffolk on 20 October because of major disruption and flooding across the region.

It has since been removed.

Areas including Framlingham, Debenham, Wickham Market and Stradbroke area were severely affected.

Damaged furniture in a home in Framlingham after Storm Babet hit the town in October 2023. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Dozens of people were forced to sleep in community rescue centres in Framlingham and Debenham.

Tractors and 4x4 rescue teams also had to be called out to help people trapped in their cars.

School children and teachers across some Suffolk schools were also kept in schools until late into the evening on 20 October because of flooded roads.

At least three weather stations in Suffolk - Wattisham, Santon Downham and Charsfield - beat their October rainfall records after Storm Babet.

Wattisham has already had three times as much rain than it would have in an average October.

Overall, East Anglia has so far had 105mm of rain this October and the record October rainfall for the region is 152.1mm set in 1865.

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