Rain Causes Flash Floods

16 August 2012, 11:53 | Updated: 16 August 2012, 12:15

Northampton's Grosvenor Shopping Centre had to close early on the afternoon of Wednesday 15 August 2012 after heavy rain caused flash flooding.

The mall shut its doors around an hour early, at 4pm, because two inches of water had got into the Lower Mall via the centre's storm drains, creating a health and safety hazard for shoppers.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue service were called out to deal with a total eight flood incidents in Northampton in the space of an hour between 4pm and 5pm.

These flood incidents were at addresses in Greenview Drive, Kettering Road, Baring Road, Victoria Promenade, The Avenue, Derngate, Breezehill and Regent Square.

Bedford Road was also damaged after the rain caused some manhole covers to lift.  Part of Bedford Road had to be closed for a while.

A band of heavy rain moved across central England on the afternoon of 15 August, but brighter conditions followed afterwards.