Both the River Ock and the River Thames are now moved up to Severe Flood Warning. The Almshouses are prepared.

At last light there were still a lot of people watching the water at St Helens Wharf as they have been doing all day. The emergency services have been busy all day. We even had firemen from Manchester and Essex. A lot of our own firemen have had their own homes in Meadowside flooded, but continued to battle on for the rest of us.

Evacuees have been moved from The Guildhall, whose bottom floor could flood, to the Kassam Stadium. The evacuee meeting point has moved to Our Lady’s Convent at the bottom of Radley Road and, if needed, Thameside School on Cotman Close.

A policeman came to warn our road that we were at risk, and should make some preparations should we be flooded.

This morning many roads are closed or flooded, and people are making their way through the water the best way they can.

Caldecott is virtually an island: The Drayton Road is flooded.
Ock Street is flooded as are residences either side

Spring Road is flooded at the bottom.

Much of Ladygrove Estate is flooded, and water is still rolling into Wordsworth Road on the Tithe Farm estate. People are just watching it inch up nearer their houses, hoping it will stop. The peak is reported to be 3 PM this afternoon.

The Hermitage Road estate is flooded, as are Turbeville Close. The elderly people from places like Cygnet Court and Ladygrove Paddock were evacuated last night and taken initially to the Guildhall. Some have been collected by relatives. Some have been found housing by the Vale. Others will be there for another night, and may be joined by others if the flooding continues to get worse.

The Thames is not such a problem yet. It could be within another 24 hours.

Tesco carpark is underwater. People were being hurried out from 9:30 PM. A tide of water was coming across the carpark from the direction of the River Ock.

This all happened within minutes. It must have taken everybody by suprise.

The environment agency has a Flood Warning out for the River Ock: Flooding expected affecting homes, businesses and main roads. Act now!

The fireworks went off at Midnight. The queue to the Book Store tailed back – along the precinct – to New Look . A shop assistant pushed round the trolley of free sweets.

This phenomena has been repeated at midnight every time a new Harry Potter book is released. This time far more people were dressed up.