Schools and roads closed in Bedfordshire after some parts see their wettest month ever

A number of schools have been shut and roads remain flooded after more heavy rain fell overnight.

Ten schools are closed in Bedford according to the borough council, including Grange Academy which has suffered damage to its electrics.

Forecasters say so far Bedford has seen three times the average rainfall for this month- a total of 155mm.

Woburn in Bedfordshire has seen its wettest month ever on record- over four times the monthly average for September.

A number of flood warnings remain in place around the county as firefighters urged motorists not to drive through floodwater and road closed signs.

Heavy rainfall since the weekend has left several areas of Bedfordshire under water, with a section of the A421 dual carriageway between Bedford and Milton Keynes still closed.

Sports fixtures have also been hit, with Bedford Borough Council tweeting to say all fixtures on grass pitches in the borough would be cancelled this weekend due to flooding or access issues.

It comes as councillors thanked Central Bedfordshire Council's emergency planning officers “for working extremely long hours under very trying circumstances in the last week”.

Speaking at a full council meeting last night Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny said “I spoke to one first thing on Monday and they’d worked all day Sunday and been up all night.

"They were absolutely exhausted and they aren’t the only ones. There’s also all those volunteers who’ve worked closely with them in the communities.“We should add, on behalf of the whole council, our sympathies are very much with these residents."

Trains in the county have also been affected. The Marston Vale line in Bedfordshire, which operates services between Bedford and Bletchley, is suspended until Monday because of standing water on the track.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...