VILLAGES around Alcester are watching the rising water on the River Avon with some trepidation, with several flood warnings and flood alerts in place, as Warwickshire joins the slew of counties and coastal areas under threat of flooding in the New Year.

A flood warning is in place along the River Avon at Welford. Water has reached 1.48 metres at the Stratford river gauge and river levels are still rising with flooding expected to continue through the day reaching 1.66 metres by 4pm this afternoon.

There is a flood alert in place further along the Avon on low-lying land in Bidford where the Bidford gauge is measuring 3.357 metres, but river levels are falling slowly, and again in Salford Priors where water is at a steady level, and expected to peak this evening between 2.75 metres and 2.8 metres.

A flood warning was in place on low-lying land and roads along the River Arrow and the River Alne between Studley and Salford Priors, and to the north of Alcester, but that is no longer in force.