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| Flooding in Bridgwater sparks river wall collapse fear | Flooding in Bridgwater sparks river wall collapse fear |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Part of Bridgwater town centre in Somerset has been closed off amid fears a wall could collapse after heavy rain. | |
| Emergency services were called to East Quay, close to the River Parrot, after cracks appeared in a riverside wall. A 50m cordon has been set up. | Emergency services were called to East Quay, close to the River Parrot, after cracks appeared in a riverside wall. A 50m cordon has been set up. |
| About eight homes in the West Quay area have also been evacuated as firefighters deal with flooding. | About eight homes in the West Quay area have also been evacuated as firefighters deal with flooding. |
| Heavy traffic in the area is reported due to the town's carnival, which is still going ahead. | Heavy traffic in the area is reported due to the town's carnival, which is still going ahead. |
| Lucy Bidwell said she had been walking to a pub to meet her boyfriend when she noticed a lot of people on the town bridge. | Lucy Bidwell said she had been walking to a pub to meet her boyfriend when she noticed a lot of people on the town bridge. |
| 'Two-feet deep' | 'Two-feet deep' |
| "The river wall is close to collapsing and they've evacuated the town bridge now and there are police and firemen there," she said. | "The river wall is close to collapsing and they've evacuated the town bridge now and there are police and firemen there," she said. |
| "The river level doesn't look like it's reached its peak but it's been really heavy rain all day and it's an old road. | "The river level doesn't look like it's reached its peak but it's been really heavy rain all day and it's an old road. |
| "It looks like it could take a house out with it if it does go. | "It looks like it could take a house out with it if it does go. |
| "The traffic is really awful, they've already closed the roads because of the carnival and now there's chaos." | "The traffic is really awful, they've already closed the roads because of the carnival and now there's chaos." |
| A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said a 50m stretch of the river wall in Bridgwater was at risk of collapse. | A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said a 50m stretch of the river wall in Bridgwater was at risk of collapse. |
| Fore Street, West quay, East quay and bridges in the area that run over the river have been closed. | Fore Street, West quay, East quay and bridges in the area that run over the river have been closed. |
| Queuing traffic has been reported in both directions between the Watsons Lane junction and the Eastover junction. | Queuing traffic has been reported in both directions between the Watsons Lane junction and the Eastover junction. |
| The spokesman said crews had also tackled flooding at six homes at Cuckoo Hill in Bruton where an elderly woman was rescued. | The spokesman said crews had also tackled flooding at six homes at Cuckoo Hill in Bruton where an elderly woman was rescued. |
| "When crews arrived they found water two-foot deep in places," he said. | "When crews arrived they found water two-foot deep in places," he said. |
| BBC weather forecaster Ian Fergusson said heavy rain would continue to fade northwards through Friday evening, with a drier weekend. | BBC weather forecaster Ian Fergusson said heavy rain would continue to fade northwards through Friday evening, with a drier weekend. |
| At 17:30 GMT the Environment Agency (EA) had six flood alerts in force for Somerset. | At 17:30 GMT the Environment Agency (EA) had six flood alerts in force for Somerset. |