The Thames breaks its banks in London amid series of flood warnings for the capital as troops finally arrive in Somerset to relieve stricken villages

River Thames bursts its banks in West London, flooding parts of Chiswick and Twickenham

Red Cross volunteers bring fuel, food and heavy supplies to Muchelney, which has been cut off since Christmas

David Cameron vows that dredging of rivers Tone and Parrett will begin as soon as possible to alleviate flooding

Experts say Environment Agency's decision to stop dredging rivers had created 25-square-mile 'disaster area'

Two key Somerset rivers are so silted up their capacity is down 40 per cent, meaning water cannot run to sea

To dredge 2.5-mile section of rivers Parrett and Tone - two key rivers on the Somerset Levels - would cost £4m

EA pledges £350,000, Wessex Flood and Coastal committee £300,000 and council £800,000, so £2.5m still remains




Flood misery reached London today as the River Thames burst its banks, leaving western parts of the capital under feet of flood water.

The Environment Agency had issued a flood alert amid high tides for the stretch of the river between Putney Bridge and Teddington Weir, with water spilling from the river, flooding waterside homes in Chiswick and leaving cars submerged in Twickenham.

Environment Agency officials also warned they expected flows to remain high for five days, and coastal areas around the country were also braced for flooding caused by tonight's high tides.

Water levels were expected to reach heights of 12.3metres in Weston-Super-Mare, 9.5 metres in Liverpool and nine metres in Hull.



The flooding came as the Armed Forces were called in to help flood-hit communities in Somerset with elite Royal Marines mobilised ready for action.

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The high tide has caused the river Thames to burst it's banks and flood areas of Twickenham in West London this afternoon. Pictured is a young woman who has been forced to don wellies in order to get through a flooded car park A woman wades knee deep in a portion of a car park flooded by Thames river water. Her dog is seen having to swim to get through the car park's flooding

Soaked: A dog walker surveys the damage as parts of Strand-on-the-Green in Chiswick, West London flooded as more rainfall hit the capital, causing the River Thames to burst its banks A pedestrian jumps to avoid the flooding in the car park in the Twickenham area of west London this afternoon. Excessive rainwater has caused the river Thames to burst its banks (Left) a man forced to carry his dog and shoes from his car to the footpath, rolling up his jeans to avoid getting them wet. (Right) a woman using a plastic bag to prevent herself from getting wet in the heavy flood waters. In the background, a tall car is seen with its wheels almost submerged

Downpour: A footpath that runs along the bank of the Thames in west London is flooded

Overflowing: The Environment Agency had issued a flood alert amid high tides for the stretch of the river between Putney Bridge and Teddington Weir

Submerged: A pub garden in Chiswick was flooded as more rainfall hit the capital A mans car is completely flooded due to the incredibly high water, after the river Thames burst their banks. In the background you can see that the boats on the river are now floating above the road level An older man uses a stick to guide himself through the murky Thames waters, rolling up his trousers to avoid getting them wet on the way to the parking meter, in the car park where many cars have been submerged

Flood: Water crept up to the front doors of these luxury riverside homes in west London

Overspill: A high tide caused the river to burst its banks

Cut off: This riverside path was left impassable by the flood

About 100 military personnel - the majority from 40 Commando - were put on standby with yet more heavy rain set to hit the Somerset Levels.

At first light, an advanced party of engineers rolled into the drowned villages to scope out the worst-affected areas and work out how to help them.

They then reported their reconnaissance information to military bosses and council officials who were holding an emergency meeting today.

The Ministry of Defence said personnel from all three forces would join the effort, but most would be from 40 Commando whose HQ is at Taunton.

Warning: People in coastal areas around the country are bracing themselves for this evening's high tides, with water expected to reach heights of 12.3metres in Weston-Super-Mare

Aid: OC Major Al Robinson and Sergeant Leigh Robinson of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment (54 Commando Squadron) on Burrow Mump, Somerset Operation: Members of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment (54 Commando Squadron) drive through flood water in Burrowbridge, Somerset Surveying the scene: OC Major Al Robinson, Sergeant Leigh Robinson and Tony Hurry of Somerset County Council look at a map in Burrowbridge

They said their initial duties would be sandbag filling and deployment. Thirty square miles of farmland has remained underwater for a month.

This has left hundreds of homes across an area the size of Bristol without running water and basic supplies.

Members of 24 Commando, who are based at Chivenor, North Devon, arrived in Northmoor Green, near Westonzoyland, this morning.

One said: ‘We are on reconnaissance. We are working in support of Somerset County Council, just supporting their plan, assessing with expert advice.

‘We are looking at the key areas under threat, looking at what we might be able to do to assist the local authorities.’

An MoD spokesman said: ‘They are currently doing a recce of the area, working with Somerset council by having a look and sizing things up.

‘After that they will be having a conversation with the council to let them know what equipment and vehicles need to be deployed.

‘People are still arriving so we aren't sure of numbers on the ground yet, but it is in double figures.’

The troops were on the ground while a special meeting was being held in Taunton to form a plan of action.

Getting through: Members of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment (54 Commando Squadron) drive through flood water in Burrowbridge, Somerset High up: OC Major Al Robinson and Sergeant Leigh Robinson of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment (54 Commando Squadron) look out from Burrow Mump Motoring on: Members of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment were carrying out reconnaissance to work out the lay of the land and to identify flooded areas

Speaking outside the meeting, deputy leader of Somerset County Council David Hall said he hoped the military would help them cope with wet weather and high tides predicted in the coming days.

He said: ‘It is going on as we speak and hopefully we will have a good idea of how they are going to help.

‘First of all I hope we will be having some support for things we are already doing like supplying more support for services for people who have been cut off and marooned for a long number of days.

‘They will have more capacity to help us with that. The second thing is we have an amber weather warning from the Met Office.

‘We are anticipating more heavy rain over the weekend combined with high tides. This will give us more flexibility to respond.’

Yesterday, David Cameron seized control of the growing crisis over the Somerset floods and ordered overflowing rivers to be dredged.

Hours after the Daily Mail highlighted the appalling plight of villagers in Somerset, the Prime Minister said the situation was unacceptable and promised that accumulated river silt would be cleared for the first time since 2005.

Parts of the Somerset Levels have been under water since Christmas and worse is expected, with fresh storms and a tidal surge forecast over the weekend.

To dredge a 2.5-mile section of the rivers Parrett and Tone - the two key rivers on the Somerset Levels - it would cost £4million.

The Environment Agency has pledged £350,000, the Wessex Flood and Coastal committee has £300,000 and Somerset County Council has found £800,000 for the project. But at least £2.5million is still needed.



Splashing through: Members of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment (54 Commando Squadron) drive through flood water in Burrowbridge, Somerset

Coming in: At first light, an advanced party of engineers rolled into the drowned villages to scope out the worst-affected areas and work out how to help them

Arrival: The Ministry of Defence said personnel from all three forces would join the effort, but most would be from 40 Commando whose HQ is at Taunton

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson had said last night that troops and specialist Army vehicles will be drafted in to help people affected by the floods.

After chairing a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee, Mr Paterson also said dredgers would be deployed, adding: ‘Things are going to get worse, with rising tides and people need to be prepared.

‘Specialist vehicles could help villages which have been cut off, to help people travel backwards and forwards, to get fuel and food in and out, and to help with transport from dry land.’

The severity of the crisis became clear yesterday when the Red Cross sent in an emergency vehicle that was used as part of rescue operations in Indonesia during the 2004 tsunami.

Thanks to its high ground clearance, the 7.5-tonne truck was brought in to help emergency services get supplies to families cut off by the waters.

Flood victims, politicians and community leaders have demanded urgent action for weeks. Experts blame two decades of environmental mismanagement for turning the Somerset Levels into a ‘disaster area’.

The Environment Agency has come under particular criticism as it emerged that its officials stopped regular dredging of the two key rivers on the Levels – the Tone and Parrett – in the mid-Nineties.



In a thinly-veiled swipe at officials who have refused to accept that dredging is the answer, the Prime Minister warned that the work should not be ‘held up by arguments’.



Mr Cameron yesterday told the Commons he would ‘rule nothing out’ to deal with the situation, adding: ‘We now need to move more rapidly to the issues like dredging which I think will help to make a long-term difference.



Difficult time: General view of flooded land near Burrowbridge, Somerset. Heavy rain and high tides are expected to cause further flooding this weekend

Response team: Environment Agency staff lay sandbags to protect homes next to the River Parrett in Burrowbridge, Somerset

Moved around: Saltmoor pumping station near Burrowbridge, Somerset, which has been badly affected by flooding in recent weeks

‘It is not currently safe to dredge in the Levels. But I can confirm that dredging will start as soon as the waters have started to come down.



‘The Environment Agency is pumping as much water as is possible given the capacity of the rivers around the Levels but I have ordered that further high-volume pumps from the national reserve will be made available.’



Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the Environment Agency, has refused to accept responsibility for the crisis.



The Labour peer and former Culture Secretary said dredging ‘would not have solved the problems we are facing’.



But in comments apparently aimed at Lord Smith and civil servants who have quibbled about dredging, Mr Cameron told MPs: ‘I don’t want to see dredging work being held up by arguments in other departments. We have got to crack this problem.’



John Osman, leader of Somerset County Council, said: ‘This is just what we wanted to hear from the Prime Minister.



‘We are in a major incident. Now we have the PM behind us, people can start to believe real action – dredging the rivers, sorting the drainage systems, protecting our communities – will happen.’

More trouble ahead: Environment Agency staff lay sandbags to protect homes next to the River Parrett in Burrowbridge, Somerset

This is the Red Cross Unimog 4x4 vehicle - more usually used in international humanitarian disasters - deployed in Somerset to deliver fuel to villagers in Muchelney, the village on the Somerset Levels which has been cut off by flooding since Christmas, leaving residents low on essential supplies



The 7.5-ton rescue vehicle waded through the mile-long stretch of floodwater surrounding Muchelney for the past four weeks to bring villagers urgently needed supplies

Edwin White, of the Royal Bath and West of England Society, said water management of the Somerset Levels should be given back to local people, adding: ‘The Environment Agency has failed miserably. The system of water management in Somerset prior to the Environment Agency taking over in 1995 was effectively run.



‘We would be able to make a much better job of it.’

Muchelney resident Tineka Bradley, 43, had almost run out of fuel for the fire she had been using to keep her family warm when the volunteers arrived with supplies yesterday.

The single mother-of-two said: 'We were only putting the fire on for an hour a night to conserve fuel, and I am so grateful for the logs and fuel so I can get the house warm from when the kids get home from school.

'We were all having to cuddle up together in bed at night and wear lots of layers to keep warm.'

A team of 30 Red Cross volunteers today used the Unimog to deliver logs and coal to residents who are only able to leave their village by boat

The charity promised that it will be on hand to cart fuel, food, oxygen cylinders, portable toilets and any other heavy supplies needed until waters subside

Tineke Bradley hugs Cheryl Murray, a British Red Cross emergency response volunteer, after she received bags of firewood. The single mother-of-two had only been able to use her fire for an hour each night - with her daughters forced to wear extra layers and huddle together in bed - because she had been running so low on fuel

Ms Bradley's daughters - Gemma, 13, and Emily, ten - are forced to get a boat to and from school everyday. They are also finding it difficult to see their father, who lives in another village.

Ms Bradley added: 'It is all very worrying and constantly on my mind. It means a lot to get some help.'

Red Cross senior service manager Joanna Tennant said the vehicle - called a Unimog - will be kept in a nearby fire station.

'We anticipate the vehicle will be used by a team comprising staff from the fire service and the Red Cross,' she said.

'It could be transporting anything from oxygen cylinders to a patient who needs it to portaloos for communities where the water supply is cut off or contaminated.

Water as far as the eye can see: Aerial shot showing the extent of the flooding near Langport on the Somerset Levels Waterway: The main road to Muchelney in Somerset is completely flooded, meaning this hourly boat is the only means by which residents can get out of the village

Submerged: This farm is completely isolated after flood water surrounds fields and buildings near Langport on the Somerset Levels 'Supplies are also being taken into these communities by boat so the Unimog will be for those larger items.' Sarah Gibson, operations director for the Red Cross in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset added: 'This tie-in between our international work and our work here in the UK is a great illustration of the fact that a crisis can happen anywhere, and to anyone. 'We want people to know that it's not the scale of the crisis or where it happens that matters but the impact on the people affected, and that's exactly why Red Cross volunteers are here to help.' The Red Cross's relief efforts came as David Cameron today ordered river dredging to begin in flood-hit Somerset, as he said the government would do everything it could to alleviate the crisis, leaving the door open to sending in the army. The Prime Minister warned he would not allow government in-fighting to hold up the work to remove silt and mud from riverbeds, although river levels are so high it is not currently safe to send in diggers. Swan Lake: A car attempts to drive through very deep flood water on the Somerset Levels while a swan uses the road to carry on paddling



People sit in a police boat as villagers cross from Muchelney using the humanitarian support boat operated by a crew from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service In deep: Buildings are completely submerged in water near Langport on the Somerset Levels - and have been for days

Reflection: Trees are reflected in flood waters on the Somerset Levels which is enduring weeks and weeks of problems

Farmer Roger Forgan uses a boat to cross farm land in front of his flooded farm which has been cut off by flood waters at Muchelney

It comes despite the Environment Agency refusing to accept responsibility for the ‘disaster area’, which the Commons was told has seen an area the size of Bristol left under water for a month. Furious flood victims have accused officials of gross incompetence and abandoning them to the elements. They said they feared the ‘worst was yet to come’ in the Somerset Levels, huge stretches of which have been under water since Christmas. Experts backed up their claim that the Environment Agency’s decision to stop dredging key rivers had led to the devastating floods. The agency has instead spent £20million on a coastal nature sanctuary, and run a programme encouraging farmers to flood their fields to promote birdlife.

Abandoned to the elements: Resident Holly Baillie-Gromhen wades through Thorney in Somerset, which has been flooded since Christmas

Storm clouds gather above a house beside the River Parrett: The Met Office is warning more rain is on the way, with another deep area of low pressure due to arrive on Friday

The Government has accepted that dredging has to resume, but Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith refuses to accept responsibility for the plight of beleaguered residents.

Officials last week declared a full-scale emergency in the area after warnings of more downpours.

Prime Minister David Cameron today ordered dredging to start on Somerset rIvers as soon as possible, as Downing Street refused to rule out sending in the army

Former farming minister David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome, said an area the size of Bristol has been under water for a month.

He urged the PM to commit ‘the whole of the government, including DCLG (the Department for Communities and Local Govenrment), Transport and the Treasury to working with Defra to deal with this situation. Not now but in future years as well.’

Two key Somerset rivers – the Tone and Parrett – are so clogged up with silt their capacity is down 40 per cent.

Large volumes of rainwater cannot run to the sea and instead the rivers burst their banks. But neither the Government or the Environment Agency has come up with the £4million to restart the dredging.

The agency has offered just £350,000 – leaving the county council and charities to find the rest of the money.

Mr Cameron was challenged by Mr Heath, and former Home Office minister Jeremy Browne, the MP for nearby Taunton.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the efforts made so far by agency staff, the emergency services and the local flood wardens to restore normal life.

Yesterday Julie Shovel, 52, a veterinary nurse, said she and her husband Malcolm, 54, had only just finished repairing the damage from last year’s floods when the Levels deluge started at Christmas.

‘The Environment Agency are sat in their swanky offices not listening,’ she said. ‘They should have listened to us when we told them there was a problem last year but nothing has changed. They think they know best but they don’t.’

The Met Office is warning more rain is on the way, with another deep area of low pressure due to arrive on Friday.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said on Monday that officials had failed to properly stop the flooding.

Demanding that a new action plan be drawn up within six weeks, he said that national guidelines which stopped regular dredging of rivers in the 1990s were ‘clearly not appropriate’ for the Levels.

Farmer Graham Walker uses his tractor to ferry residents from Thorney to Muchelney: Experts have backed up residents' claim that the Environment Agency's decision to stop dredging key rivers had created a 'disaster area' covering 25 square miles

This aerial picture of Thorney shows how the area surrounding the village is totally inundated with water: The agency has instead spent £20million on a coastal nature sanctuary, and run a programme encouraging farmers to flood their fields to promote birdlife

Flood water is pumped into the River Parrett: The river, and another key waterway in Somerset, the Tone, are so clogged up with silt their capacity is down 40 per cent - stopping rainwater from running out to sea

Jean Venables, of the Association of Drainage Authorities, said it was ‘very, very urgent’ that rivers in the area are dredged.

‘It’s a disaster area down there and it could have been avoided if we had actually kept up with maintenance on the rivers,’ she told the BBC Today programme. ‘We’ve got a 20-year backlog of inactivity down there and it is actually very, very urgent that those rivers are dredged.’

Mark Corthine, 62, a former army major, said he had been forced to pump the water out of his house using his own equipment when officials failed to come to his family’s aid. ‘They haven’t ever dredged, and now we are surrounded. They put on the extra pumps because of the Environment Secretary coming but it was all too late.

‘And the worst is yet to come. We are due high tides on the 1st and 2nd of February and the water will rise over the banks of the River Parrett, two days in a row. When we flooded last time it wasn’t until a few weeks later that the stench of rotting came – we just hope that doesn’t happen this year.’

A couple wade through flood water on the road at Burrow Bridge, Somerset, yesterday: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said on Monday that officials had failed to properly stop the flooding, and that dredging should restart in Somerset

Debris washed up by flood water sits at James Winslade's farm in Moorland, Somerset: Some residents in the area had only just finished repairs after last year's floods when this year's inundations began at Christmas-time

Ruined: Mr Winslade stands in front of sodden bales of animal feed as he surveys flooded land at his farm in Moorland. The third-generation farmer, whose family has been working the land in the area for 150 years, calculates 94 per cent of his farmland is under water

The Bishop of Taunton has written to all bishops in the House of Lords, calling for them to urge the Government to take proper action.

The Rt Rev Peter Maurice wrote: ‘The stories are heartbreaking – with farms and other businesses unable to operate normally, and homes made unbearable by the flooding of domestic sewage systems.

‘The people with local knowledge are quite clear that there has been no dredging of the main rivers for some years, and that this must be done to prevent repetition of this flooding. Action is needed now to help people.’

Anne McIntosh, who chairs the Commons environment select committee, said dredging may not have stopped the flooding, which has been ‘of biblical proportions’, but added: ‘Certainly a stitch in time saves nine and it isn’t happening.

‘It’s time to give the responsibility and funding for dredging back to the local drainage boards and I hope the Environment Agency will see some sense to that.

‘They do much that should be applauded, but they have massive responsibilities in many other areas as a navigation authority, and for licensing and permits. They are an emergency arm of government.’

Neil Parish, who sits on the same committee and represents the Devon constituency of Tiverton and Honiton, said the flooding has been a ‘car crash waiting to happen’.

He added: ‘The Environment Agency needs to devolve power to the councils, to the drainage authorities, to the farmers themselves.’

Lord Smith said yesterday: ‘There are one or two people over the last few days who have been throwing a lot of brickbats at the Environment Agency and its staff.

‘These are staff who over the course of the last two months have been working their socks off, night and day right through Christmas and New Year.

‘They have been running pumping stations, erecting de-mountable defences, they have been co-ordinating information for the emergency services, providing warnings where needed, clearing blockages.’