Parts of mid- and north Essex remained underwater today (Monday) after heavy rain caused severe flooding.

The town of Halstead was particularly badly hit and the High Street was today still impassable following the torrential rain overnight on Saturday and throughout Sunday.

Colchester fire crews pulled a man from the River Colne in Chappel yesterday after hearing his cries as they returned from another callout.

The A12 at Kelvedon and A120 at Braintree were under 5cm (two inches) of water yesterday (Sunday), but both were re-opened today. Flooding on roads near Stansted Airport also caused long tailbacks yesterday.

Essex Police advised drivers to take extra care and not to travel at all unless absolutely necessary.

Evening Gazette weatherman Terry Mayes said weekend rainfall around Colchester was a whopping 47.1 mm, and near Braintree, it rose to up to 70mm.

The weather over Essex is fine today but there are still lots of nervous Essex homeowners with more rain expected tonight.

There will be further updates on the problems caused by the bad weather on This Is Essex later today (Monday), and you can read more in today's Evening Gazette and Evening Echo

More flooding information on the Environment Agency website at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

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