AUTHORITIES are braced for the worst floods since 1947 this morning with plans having been laid to evacuate hundreds of people from their homes.

The River Severn was due to reach it peak last night but throughout yesterday it was pouring into homes in Upton-upon-Severn and closing roads around the town and in Worcester.

Malvern Hills District Council has been preparing village halls and community centres as emergency refuges for residents driven out of their homes by the rising waters.

Hanley Castle High School and the Hill Centre have been earmarked as the main rescue centres; volunteers from the WRVS and Red Cross were standing by to assist.

Territorial Army units were standing by at Malvern police station to assist emergency services if required.

Yesterday lunchtime, the Hanley Road and the A4104 across the river bridge were closed, and rising water was expected to inundate the Tunnel Hill road out of Upton, isolating the town. Thousands of sandbags have been manufactured and distributed.

For some the defences have been powerless to resist the river.

Mark Fisher ended a very long night wading through knee deep flood water with suitcases jammed under his arms.

Flood defences on the eastern bank held the Severn near his Upton home until around 8am yesterday (Thursday, November 2) but within an hour he was forced to leave.

Mr Fisher's wife, Bernie, and daughter, Rebecca, seven, evacuated the house around 10pm on Wednesday night as the situation worsened.

Having put in flood boards and sandbags it was just a question of waiting and hoping.

"I had done all I could, I had taken the carpets up, I had lifted all the furniture I could upstairs," he said.

"When it started to rush in this morning it was a feeling of helplessness really but at the same time I knew I had done what I could."

Throwing a few items into a suitcase he turned the power off and left the house, wading through the flood water towards higher ground at Upton Marina. Unbelievably he watched motorists still trying to drive into Upton.

The Environment Agency said the level was expected to peak in Worcester yesterday evening and in Upton a few hours later.

Sub-officer Dave Walker, of Upton Fire Station, said: "These floods are worse than normal. All the 'regulars' have been flooded, but it is also affecting houses which aren't normally hit."

Hanley Castle High School was closed yesterday, as were Upton Primary, Powick Primary and Cliffey House.

The A38 between Kempsey and Sandford was washed away by the flood on Wednesday, and traffic was being diverted through Kinnersley.

Police are advising the public to obey diversion signs and keep away from flooded areas, as this may hamper the work of emergency services.

Several motorists have already had to be rescued. An elderly couple driving towards Upton found themselves in deep water on the Hanley Road on Wednesday lunchtime and had to be rescued by police flood patrols.

A car and lorry got stuck in the flood water on the A4103 at Bransford on Tuesday at 10.20pm after the road closure signs on the Leigh Sinton side blew down and a truck driver was rescued by police from the same spot at 4.30am on Wednesday.