HOMEOWNERS in Bewdley have been warned to expect the worst with river levels likely to beat recent records.

The Environment Agency has warned residents to expect levels could be higher than the severe floods which swept the county in 1998 when the River Severn peaks later this week.

Homeowners in Bewdley spent most of yesterday preparing for the inevitable, positioning hundreds of sandbags in front of their homes to keep the waters at bay.

"Our main concern is Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth and Bewdley," said a spokesman for the EA which predicts said the floods could as bad as any in 20 years

"We are expecting between 80 and 100 properties in Bewdley to be affected and up to 40 in Worcester.

"If people were flooded in 1998 they should expect to be flooded again."

Bewdley Mug House pub landlord, Ray Walsh, has been barricading the premises with sandbags and expects the worst.

"Last time, we were under 4ft of water so we'll probably get wet again," he said.

Mr Walsh that when he took over the pub in 1990 he had been told the flooding problem would be solved with a reservoir at Trimpley.

"It's flooded every year," he said

"Something is wrong. They keep saying it is an act of God but they ought to get their act sorted down here.

"I think the river authorities could do more. They were talking about putting a lake the other side of Shrewsbury but they said it would cost too much money but they throw money at the Dome and new Wembley.

"They can get rockets to the moon but they can't control a bit of water."

Today, Bewdley town centre was cut in half with motorists unable to cross the old river bridge and many roads in and out of the town blocked by flood water.

Commuters found themselves caught in a gridlock situation as cars queued to leave the town and flood water reached window height in some homes.