NEWSROOM

The storm has brought down trees, blocked roads, damaged electricity cables and buildings, as well as surface flooding. Council and emergency crews have worked through the night, and efforts continue this morning to address the ongoing challenges.

More than 200 calls were made to Telford & Wrekin Council, and as a result, the call centre was inundated with requests for assistance. Local partner agencies, including Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, have also been overwhelmed by the volume of calls, responding to critical incidents involving fallen trees.

In addition, the heavy rains mean rising river levels and the Environment Agency have advised flood barriers are needed in the Ironbridge Gorge. The Wharfage is closed this morning as the barriers are being erected in readiness for the peak, currently predicted for Monday evening.

Telford and Wrekin Council is working in partnership with West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, to ensure affected areas receive the appropriate response.

Councillor Richard Overton, (Lab) Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing & Enforcement said: “We want to express our thanks to all those who have reported incidents and assisted in identifying areas that require immediate action.”

“This has been a true community effort, and I’d also like to thank our crews and our emergency service colleagues, for working together and mitigating the damage caused by the storm.”

The council's teams are dealing with 87 fallen trees currently reported but the team estimates more with calls still coming in this morning. Crews have been working through the night, prioritising emergency callouts to make areas safe. Once all emergency calls have been attended, the process to remove the debris will then begin in order of severity. 

“Our teams are doing their very best to get through all logged calls as quickly as possible.

“We ask for your patience as we process all the incidents, if you have logged a call, please know that it is being dealt with, and we appreciate your understanding. For dangerous situations or immediate risk to life, please contact the out-of-hours number immediately.”

The council has confirmed that flood barriers have also been deployed in Ironbridge as a precautionary measure.

Councillor Overton, added: “As the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events continue to rise, Telford & Wrekin Council is acutely aware of the strain on local services and resources.

“We are seeing a growing demand for emergency response services, and as we face more frequent extreme weather events, we must adapt to these new challenges.

“This put increasing pressure on our already stretched resources, but we remain committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our residents. We will continue to work with all our partner agencies to provide the best possible service, even as the pressure on budgets and staffing grows.”

To report a problem (non-emergency) https://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20425/trees_hedges_and_woodland/3472/trees_blocking_a_path_or_road

If you see an emergency where a tree is down

• Blocking a path or road access to property
• Snapped or blown over
• Fallen onto a house or car

Please call 03451 559955 (out of hours only). Many areas continue to be affected, and response teams are still on the ground this morning.