THERE was a huge sigh of relief as widespread flooding failed to materialise in Worcestershire despite a weekend of heavy rain.

After the deluge on Friday all eyes were on the skies over the weekend and the rising river levels.

But despite the heavy rain, there were few incidents of flooding to report.

The Severn remained on flood alert but was due to peak yesterday afternoon.

Another of the county’s rivers, the Avon, was also on flood alert, as were the Piddle and Bow Brooks.

Despite the gloomy outlook many events still went ahead, although the red alert on the Avon forced Evesham’s river festival to be cancelled.

The organisers of the annual river festival held off until early Saturday morning before making the decision and said they were disappointed to have to cancel.

The rising waters caused problems for animals across the weekend as well.

On Saturday a dog was swept away in the Severn.

The dog was being walked along the banks of the river near the city centre when he got caught in the water.

Firefighters were close by at a Community Safety event at Pitchcroft although they did not need to assist the animal as he made his own way out the river unharmed.

The fire service were also called yesterday to reports of a dead pony in the swollen waters of the Severn near Pitchcroft.

At about 11.30am rescue crews from the fire service in two boats dragged the body of the animal to the shore outside Worcester Canoe Club.

They also recovered a dead sheep from the same stretch of water.

They carried out a full sweep upstream and downstream but no other bodies were found.

A number of people needed rescuing in Friday’s flash floods including three elderly people in Norton near Worcester.

The three became trapped in two-and-a-half feet of water at the junction between Church Lane and Woodbury Lane.

They were all removed from the car and brought to safety at about 4.30pm.

Earlier on the same day a man and three women were released from a car that had been submerged in flood water.

The fire service were called to Birts Street in Birtsmorton in Worcestershire at about 2.20pm and the four were rescued with one of the women being treated for anxiety.

This week’s weather looks set to be varied with more rain due on Wednesday.