Locals fight rising water as flooding causes chaos across Wiltshire

In Swindon, there are patches of standing water in areas like Wanborough and West Swindon, as well as some residential streets. 

Elsewhere in the county, like in Lechlade, Malmesbury, and Bradford Upon Avon, there are examples of more severe flooding, with shops preparing for the worst as the water levels continue to rise. 

Across the county, the emergency services are also having to response, with one driver in Oaksey ignoring warnings about a particularly flooded road needing to be saved by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue. 

But it seems a brief reprieve is on the way as the weather forecast for Wiltshire shows cloudy sunshine for the next few days before more rain arrives at the end of next week. 

Parts of Malmesbury were flooded but managed to avoid a repeat of the devastation that hit the town in 2012.

Swindon is very much the same, with pockets of flooding on some roads and residential areas, but nothing like the infamous flooding of 2007 which saw large areas of the town completely submerged. 

In Lechlade, the River Thames burst its banks, leaving the Riverside pub facing quickly encroaching water levels, that soon engulfed a number of the outdoor benches, although landlord Gareth Chapman was able to make light of the situation. 

The Riverside Pub, Lechlade, engulfed by encroaching floodwater and landlord Gareth Chapman enjoying a pint (Image: Gareth Chapman)

But the worst-hit town seems to be Bradford Upon Avon, with residents and businesses  being left to deal with floodwater after being, in their own words, 'abandoned to their fate'.

Across the town was evidence of disruption. Signs had been put up warning people that certain footways and paths were closed because of the high level of floodwater 

On Saturday morning several businesses, like Alfred's Pre-loved Men's Clothing, Cobb Far Estate Agents, and Westview Day Nursery had put up flood defenses after the River Avon had burst its banks, with floodgates in doorways and sandbags.

Flood defences are being put up in Bradford Upon Avon businesses (Image: Newsquest)

The water hadn't quite reached them yet and had dropped from the day before, but it wouldn't take much.

Disruption has been reported in several other locations across the county and local transport networks have been heavily affected, with several train lines being cancelled. 

The region's fire service has also been busy and put out a warning to people thinking about tackling deceptively deep road flooding in their vehicles to 'please think before you sink'.