STORM Ciarán may not have battered Worcestershire as much as other parts of the UK but its presence is still being felt.

Drivers were being warned not to travel through floodwater after Storm Ciarán hit the country.

Worcester may have missed the worst of the storm but fords in the area may be filled with water and dangerous to drivers.

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "Storm Ciarán is expected to bring heavy wind and rain across the region.

"Please avoid driving through floodwater.

"Diesel cars can't compress water in the engine and may result in engine failure."

The city was covered by a yellow weather warning for rain which ran from Wednesday evening (November 1) through to 11pm on Thursday.

The Met Office warned that heavy rain associated with Storm Ciarán is likely to bring disruption to parts of Worcestershire.

River Severn levels were rising near Worcester though there were no flood warnings on the Severn or other rivers in the county as Worcester News went to press.

Field officers from the Environment Agency visited the Kempsey pumping station on the river Severn yesterday (Thursday).

The officers performed operational checks to penstocks, pumps and generators in preparation for the pumps to operate in response to the rising river levels.

The team from the Environment Agency were in Uckinghall, near Ripple, on the River Severn in Worcestershire to check its flood protection assets were in "good working order".

Officers cleared the site of any debris and the water levels were holding steady on Thursday afternoon during Storm Ciarán.

In Upton-upon-Severn, pumps were being used to remove surface water build-up on streets.

Environment Agency workers were also out checking the Upton-on-Severn flood risk management scheme.

All the pedestrian gates are closed and six-inch pumps are being used to remove surface water build-up.

The Met Office warned that delays or cancellations to train and bus services may be experienced, and there is also a chance homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.

It added that some communities may be cut off by flooded roads and that fast-flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a danger to life.

Elsewhere in the UK the storm was causing havoc.

Gusts of more than 100mph left thousands of homes without power, forced school closures and caused travel chaos as Storm Ciarán battered the south of England and the Channel Islands.