WETWETWET!

Houses and roads across the town and other parts of the Dispatch district were hit by flash floods.

Among the areas worst affected were Arden Close at Butlers Hill, Wighay Road, Ward Avenue and Oakenhall Avenue.

According to weather experts, Nottinghamshire experienced 50mm of rainfall between Sunday and Monday morning, compared to the normal average of 40mm for the whole of June.

The county’s Fire and Rescue Service received 522 calls on Monday – seven times the usual number for one day.

The first deluge last Friday caused flooding near Hucknall Market Place on the corner of Annesley Road and on the town’s Tesco superstore car park, off Station Road.

A Bulwell resident who was in Hucknall at the time said: “At Tesco, the water went across the car park at two places.

“It was so deep that shoppers had to take off their shoes and socks to walk across the car park to get to and from the store.”

A large pond formed In front of a ‘Free Summer Swimming’ banner outside Hucknall Leisure Centre on Linby Road!

And after the next deluge on Sunday night, the brook running through Linby, known as ‘The Docks’, overflowed, turning the village’s Main Street into a river.

Bestwood Village was also badly hit, with traffic blocked both at the junction of Moor Road with Park Road and on the site of the former railway bridge in Bestwood Road.

This caused traffic diversions and there was an unusually heavy build-up of vehicles on Hucknall bypass early on Tuesday morning.

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Some rail services on Hucknall and Bulwell’s Robin Hood railway line were cancelled because of electricity supply problems after flooding in a signal room.

Hucknall’s Holy Cross Catholic Primary School on Leen Mills Lane had to be closed after floodwater surged into two classrooms.

But a big clean-up operation meant that the school was able to re-open on Wednesday.

Holy Cross’s summer fair, to have taken place last Saturday, will now be held today, starting at 1.30 pm.

Howeve, no new date has been arranged for the school’s sports day, which had to be cancelled because of the flooding.

Linby-cum-Papplewick Church of England Primary School also shut last Friday but the pupils were able to return on Tuesday.

Bulwell escaped remarkably lightly, although the River Leen rose to quite a high level.

Coun Robert Spray, a Hucknall Independent member of Ashfield District Council, claimed that the flooding showed up shortcomings in the town’s infrastructure.

“The housing plans which have been given the go-ahead for Hucknall mean that things can only get worse,” he warned.

Those affected by the floods were urged to get in touch with their insurance company as soon as possible.

Notts County Council have also warned motorists not to attempt to drive through flooded roads. And they have told parents not to let their children play in floodwater for fear it might be contaminated.

The council have set up an emergency hotline for any flood-related enquiries. The number is 0845 3304529.

Meanwhile forecasters have predicted more heavy rain for the Dispatch district this weekend.