WORCESTERSHIRE'S flood misery could continue until March, Evening News weather expert Paul Damari has warned.

Mr Damari said in the next three or four days the county could expect drier and brighter conditions and night time frosts, but that it was not likely to last.

He predicted windy and wet conditions would plague Worcestershire over Christmas as low pressure set in again.

"The trouble is we still have to watch out to the Atlantic as more storms are brewing," he said. "We are not out of the woods yet by a long way.

"The trouble is the water levels are falling slowly and three or four dry days will not do a lot of good."

He said the flood misery could persist until March because of the sodden ground not having the opportunity to dry out. Mr Damari, who has been keeping weather records for 35 years, said that throughout recent years the winters had been getting noticeably milder.

"The last real traditional winter we had was in 1981-82 when temperatures went as low as minus 17 degrees," he said. "Winters like that now seem to be a thing of the past."

Closed roads in repair planning

ESSENTIAL maintenance work is to be carried out this weekend on roads in Worcester closed due to flooding.

Worcester Transportation Partnership and city contractors are tipped to take advantage of the current road closures in the city to carry out essential maintenance work.

Tom Comerford, Worcester City Council senior engineer, said work replacing manhole covers and road patching would take place in Deansway.

Severn Trent Water was also due to carry out repair work in Bridge Street while Transco pledged to finish works started during the last floods on Worcester City bridge.

Mr Comerford said it meant motorists would not have to endure disruptions once traffic returned to normal.

"This is a good example of agencies and the highway authority managing resources and co-ordinating their work schedules to take advantage of the current road closures," he said.

"Doing the work now will ensure that motorists do not have to endure unnecessary disruption when city traffic returns to normal."

Church is closed for Christmas

THE floods have put paid to a church's Christmas celebrations.

St Deny's in Severn Stoke is currently under around two feet of water, with no hope of it being cleared in time for the traditional services.

"It is a great pity," said the Rev Peter Holzapfel.

"The church is resembling a lake and the pews are floating. We have no choice but to cancel the services.

A carol service planned for next week has also gone by the wayside."

Mr Holzapfel described the flooding as "a catastrophe."

"The church was clobbered during the last floods and now we have the same all over again."

However, he invited worshippers to join him at St Mary's in Kempsey over the festive period.

There will be services at 8am, 10.30am and an 11.30pm midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day there will be an 8am Holy Communion Service and at 10.30am a family service.

Bridge open again

MOTORISTS are advised that the Severn Bridge in Worcester was opened this morning.

The gyratory system is also now open.

Roads still closed are Hanley Road and Ryall Road, Upton-upon-Severn, Diglis Lane, Navigation Street and Waverley Street in Worcester.

Church Road in Kempsey is passable with care.