Heavy storms wreak havoc across Birmingham and the Black Country

HEAVY storms wreaked havoc across parts of Birmingham and the Black Country with flash floods affecting homes, businesses, schools and hospitals in the area.

Emergency services were swamped with calls as violent storms quickly turned roads into lakes; several people having to be rescued from their cars and work premises as the flood water rose dramatically.

In Middlemore Road, Smethwick 13 homes and a business had to be evacuated because of flooding, while fire crews had to pump out lift shafts at Sandwell General Hospital had to be pumped out.

There was motorway misery for drivers using the M5 between West Bromwich and Halesowen as the storms first brought flooding and then accidents.

Once off the motorway at Junction 2 (Oldbury) many of the roads were impassable – including outside the former Car Select car supermarket at Churchbridge.

Hundreds of commuters were late getting home as the road network in the area was gridlocked.

Roads were littered with debris this morning and several were also impacted by subsidence and collapsed manholes.

Six schools across the area were either fully or partially closed this morning as the clean-up operation began.