Police urged motorists to take care after people were trapped in their cars during a day of widespread flooding.

Martin Cable, fire station officer at Maldon, said they had a "hectic" day yesterday (Sunday) with about 15 calls to incidents in areas including Little and Great Totham. Holloway Road and Maypole Road in Heybridge were closed for most of the day.

"People were trapped in cars and unable to get out. Water reached three to four feet in some cases," said Mr Cable.

For more information on the floods, see stories starting 'Floods: ...' in the drop-down menu at the bottom of this article

More flooding information on the Environment Agency website at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk Water was getting into people's houses and firefighters had been involved in pumping out.

Sgt Richard Miller of Maldon Police said there had been no evacuations. Main Road in Broomfield, Chelmsford was also flooded.

A spokesman at Chelmsford fire station said they were receiving call after call.

There was a report of a car stuck in flood water with people inside outside the Axe and Compasses pub at Leaden Roding at lunchtime but they had got out before the emergency service arrived.

Police urged motorists to take care after more reports of floods as heavy rain from the weekend ran off fields and covered some roads.

The Cressing Road between Braintree and Witham was under several inches of water in parts and a police spokesman said that more than 200 roads in the county had been affected.

He said a band of country from Maldon to Witham and Braintree in mid Essex had been particularly affected.

The spokesman said people had driven into water and got stuck and urged people to be careful.

The fire and rescue service had been "very, very busy" yesterday and many properties in Braintree had been affected.

A spokeswoman for Essex Fire and Rescue service said over 20 properties in Braintree and Witham had been affected, including retirement flats in Moorfield Court, Witham.

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