Cars stranded as heavy rain causes ‘sea of mud' on North Staffordshire road

-Credit: (Image: Dave Uldzer)
-Credit: (Image: Dave Uldzer)


Cars were left stranded in around two foot of sludge after a 'mudslide' covered a North Staffordshire road. Yesterday's heavy downpour caused chaos on Cheadle Road in Draycott in the Moors where residents say there was a 'sea of mud'.

And photographs the scene show vehicles battling through the sludge. It's believed some drivers had to simply give up and dump their cars near to the La Villa Verde restaurant.

It came at a time where roads across the Moorlands and in Stoke-on-Trent were left under water after thundery conditions battered the area. It also resulted in around 1,700 homes without power - with scores of families waking up today still without electricity.

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After what had been a warm and dry day, the late afternoon saw the skies turn grey over North Staffordshire and that was followed by thunderstorms and heavy rain. Resident George Plant says Cheadle Road was under around two foot of mud in places.

George, who lives in the area, told StokeonTrentLive: "There was a sea of mud. You wouldn’t dare walk or drive up it.

“It was about two foot deep in places of just mud,” said George, who has confirmed that the road is just about passable today. He said: “It’s open now and a few cars have come past but it’s just one lane.

“It’ll need tractors, shovels and everything to clean it all up. It’s a busy road and it needs doing today or tomorrow.”

George was driving back from Cheshire to his home in Draycott with his family yesterday afternoon when he was forced to take several diversions due to flooding and the closed A50. George says Tean High Street was also flooded and there was another mudslide between Werrington and Cheadle.

He said: “It reminded me of that film, 2012, when the world is going to end. The windscreen wipers couldn’t keep up because it was raining that bad.”

Today and Stafforshire Fire and Rescue Service has urged motorists to avoid flood-hit roads. North Staffordshire remains under a yellow warning for rain while tomorrow will bring both yellow and amber alerts.

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