School Bus Stranded, Children Rescued Amid Storm Bert Flooding

A school bus carrying over 50 children became immobilized in floodwaters in Worcestershire, leading to their rescue. Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham stated that police confirmed no injuries occurred during the event on Monday morning, which is thought to have taken place close to Eckington Bridge on the B4080. The school indicated that the bus was believed to have veered off the road and come to rest in a ditch surrounded by floodwater. Numerous schools across the county have ceased operations due to extensive flooding caused by Storm Bert, with Tenbury Wells identified as the most severely impacted location. On Sunday, a flood barrier along the Kyre Brook gave way, releasing vast quantities of water into the town’s streets. Additionally, a nearby landslip resulted in the closure of a road in Rochford. Prince Henry’s High School conveyed that officers present at the site of the immobilized bus confirmed the students’ safety and well-being. A total of 57 children and the bus driver were rescued, according to BBC reports, with assistance provided by two boats from the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. A substitute bus was arranged to take the children to school. An earlier statement affirmed, “We will meet the students when they arrive at school and make sure that they have some hot drinks and food, before going to lessons.” Multiple educational institutions announced their closures, with reasons including localized flooding and issues affecting adjacent roadways. Tenbury High Ormiston Academy in Tenbury Wells was among those closed; it had functioned as a relief hub on Sunday for individuals impacted by the floods. The academy described the damage inflicted upon the town as “devastating.” Lindridge St Lawrence’s CE Primary School, located nearby, also remained closed on Monday. Video recordings circulating on social media depicted a tractor navigating the inundated streets, generating bow waves that struck shop windows, which provoked widespread indignation. Louise Preston, proprietor of Pitter Potter, a pottery shop in Tenbury, reported that the front window of her establishment was shattered by water as the tractor passed. The rapid surge of water in a town brook led to the collapse of its retaining wall, causing water to inundate the street within moments. A flood defense initiative has been designated for the area. Expenses for this project have seen an increase recently, with the most current projection exceeding £7 million. The Environment Agency is exploring methods to reduce these costs. Marc Lidderth, representing the agency, commented: “The scheme itself is obviously a very complex scheme. Tenbury is a historical, beautiful market town, has lots of heritage.”That provides complexities in terms of designing a scheme.”What we’ve also found is that under that kind of final design that we have, it’s obviously a very expensive scheme to deliver and what we have now is a partnership funding gap.”We’re trying to do what we can to try and find the funds to do that and we’ll continue to work with the community of Tenbury to see what offer and solutions we can come up with for that scheme.” In Herefordshire, St Mary’s CE Primary School in Credenhill, Westfield School in Leominster, and Orleton Primary School each verified their closures. Separately, a man required rescue from his vehicle in Walsall, prompting the West Midlands Fire Service to issue a caution against driving through floodwaters. The region also experienced railway service interruptions, affecting routes such as Shrewsbury to Birmingham, and Worcester Foregate Street to Great Malvern and Hereford. Additionally, several roads throughout Herefordshire and Shropshire were shut, specifically mentioning the B4203 at Bromyard and the A49 near Church Stretton.