Suffolk set for torrential rain

GET your ark ready!

Or at least think about getting sandbags or floodboards fixed if you live in an area prone to flooding.

That was today's advice from weather forecasters who warned that more than three inches of rain could fall over the area tomorrow.

A massive storm is moving up from France and is expected to cause widespread disruption across south east England, East Anglia, before moving north to the already-sodden area of Yorkshire.

Emergency services have been put on standby in case of flooding or road closures, and the region's train operators are also prepared for possible disruption.

The government's Meteorological Office issued the severe weather warning yesterday, and updated it today warning that there is a 50per cent chance of disruption in the area.

The weather could be worse for people heading towards London where the rain is expected to be heavier.

The Met Office has warned that 20-40mm (up to an inch and a half) of rain over the area could be common but that some areas could see between 75 and 100mm.

That would see more than the average monthly rainfall for July in Suffolk (about 60mm) falling in less than 24 hours - after an already wet month.

A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said the fire and rescue service was aware of the warnings, and the emergency planning team had been put on alert.

Safety spokeswoman Joanna Spicer said: “We have heard all the warnings, and we are ready if anything happens. I'm not complacent but at least we have been given warnings about this and can have people prepared.

Peter Meades of rail operator 'one' said it had spoken to Network Rail about possible disruption: “The major concern would be lightning which can knock out power supplies and signalling.

“But the nature of this kind of thing is that you don't know where there might be a problem until it happens,” he said.