South Ruislip left looking 'like the Lake District' as flooding hits West London town

A town in West London has been battered by flash flooding with homes and businesses left picking up the pieces after heavy rain led to the Environment Agency issuing a red flood warning. South Ruislip in Hillingdon was identified as one of London's most 'at risk' areas for flooding after a night of heavy rain led the water levels on the Yeading Brook to rise significantly, as well as surface water flooding causing chaos.

Households and businesses woke up this morning to floods of water inside their houses, on the roads and in their gardens, and many are preparing for the worst tonight with more heavy rain forecast from 8pm by the Met Office. Darsh Patel, 28, is one of many affected by the flooding. He said: "It was all flooded, outside and inside. It's 2pm, and we are still clearing water [which we've been doing] since 6am."

A video shows the scale of the flooding inside Mr Patel's house and his garden, with brown water filling his outdoor space and spilling in through a patio door.

READ MORE: London flooding live updates with 'severe delays' on Tube network and weather warning in place

Cars drive through flood water in South Ruislip after heavy rain led to roads and homes being submerged
Cars drive through flood water in South Ruislip after heavy rain led to roads and homes being submerged -Credit:Darsh Patel

Tom Searle, 82, has lived in South Ruislip for 40 years. He says the flooding this morning is the worst he has ever experienced. He said: "I came down this morning, and it was soaking wet outside and inside my backroom. Then my lights didn't work because of the rain, so I'm waiting for someone to come and fix it today. It's the worst it's ever been."

An elderly man leaning against a tree wearing sunglasses
Tom Searle, 82, said it's the worst flooding he has seen in the area in 40 years -Credit:Philip James Lynch

The most affected areas are located near the east of the Yeading Brook and the River Roxbourne, particularly Field End Road, Brookside Close, South Park Way, Grand Central Avenue and Bourne Primary School.

Lee Panch, 57, works in VRK Convenience and Post Office on Eastcote Lane, which connects to Field End Road. He said: "It was really high above my feet. Luckily none came inside, but outside was like the Lake District."

A man standing in front of a tobacco display unit in a convenience store
Lee Panch, 57, works in VRK Convenience and Post Office on Eastcote Lane which was affected by floods. -Credit:Philip James Lynch

Hillingdon Council said in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "We're working closely with partners to respond to the flash flooding that happened in the borough overnight and this morning. Our teams are inspecting highways, houses, council properties, schools, parks, and waterways to see what's been affected and offer support where needed."

Hillingdon Council is a lead local flood authority and one of a number of bodies that have a role in reducing flood risk. Two key schemes have been carried out in the last few years to reduce the flood risk in the area around Field End Road. Eastcote Rain Gardens is described by the council as an 'award winning town centre regeneration to replace old planters with sustainable drainage, reducing flood risk, improving access, biodiversity and highway safety'.

A second scheme involved planting trees at Field End Recreation Ground. But today's flooding will raise questions about whether more is needed to safeguard homes and businesses in the area, particularly with scientific predictions suggesting extreme weather events like flooding are set to become more common due to climate change.

The area around Field End Road is deemed to have a medium risk of yearly flooding from surface water, suggesting it's far from a one-off freak event. Hillingdon Council has been approached for comment on any plans to prevent future surface water flooding in the affected area.

Have a story you want to share? Email philip.lynch@reachplc.com

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