08/02/2014 Midlands Today

Good afternoon. Another big storm is expected to hit the Midlands this

afternoon, bringing heavy rain and gale force winds. The Met Office has

issued a yellow weather warning for the region and 33 flood warnings are

in place. As Lindsay Doyle reports, it's further bad news for farmers

who've had to endure weeks of flooding on their land.

Hayes Farm at Melverley on the Shropshire/Welsh border, fields

flooded, winter wheat already washed away and plans for planting Spring

crops being pushed later and later. The last two years have got a lot

worse. The lost a lot of spring planting and then we had to replant

it and then lost it again due to the flooding. As you can see, we have

planted Wortham crops and that has also flooded `` autumn crops. Water

which has been cascading over the dam at Lake Vyrnwy Reservoir in Mid

Wales has sparked fears that more rain will cause more flooding as it

feeds into the River Vyrnwy, joining the River Severn near Melverley.

Unfortunately for farmers, it has been time after time where we have

had so much water and it is starting to interfere with farming. Hayes

farm have brought their cattle in for the winter but that again is

another cost to the farmer. Elsewhere in Shropshire the floods

barriers are up in Ironbridge, the Environment Agency is stressing in

spite of high river levels the barriers are ensuring that its

business as usual today in the historic town.

Police have just re`opened the M6 after it was closed for over six

hours. The road was shut after a body was found on the carriageway in

Staffordshire. The motorway was shut to southbound traffic between

Junction 11 at Cannock and Junction ten at Walsall. A bridge over the

road near the scene was also affected.

In football, all three of our Premier League clubs could have a

big impact on the battle to avoid relegation this afternoon. Aston

Villa are at home to West Ham. West Brom travel to Crystal Palace. And

Stoke visit Southampton. In the Championship, the Birmingham City

captain Paul Robinson makes a welcome return for their trip to

Charlton. Huge boost for us to have the car and back, just not in terms

of his leadership, but his performance levels. He delivers what

I expect my players so the rest of the players can then follow him.

Meanwhile, all today's games involving our sides in the

Conference have been postponed due to the weather.

Time now to get some more detail on that stormy weather that's heading

our way. Time now to get some more detail

The wind really is a key feature of today's weather, that together with

blustery showers working their way in from the West. We have yellow

warnings in place. We are looking at Gusts between 50 and 60 mph. Highs

of around seven or eight degrees. Still the showers keep coming in

this evening, feeding in on that blustery wind. The risk of hale and

Thunder thrown in as well. Lows of around four or five degrees.

Tomorrow we'll start off on a wet and windy node. The breeze will ease

through the day and the showers will become fewer and far between. I will

be back in our next bulletin at 7:05pm. Until then, have a good

after doing. evening. -- the winds will ease

Good afternoon. It is yet another stormy day to day with heavy rain

around and very strong winds. The Met office has issued an amber

warning for the strong winds. They could be disruptive and damaging.

This is the latest in a string of storms that we have seen this

winter. For southern England, this looks like one of the wettest

winters for 250 years. Scotland saw the wettest December 4/100 years.

Low pressure well in charge of things at the moment, drifting

across the UK to the North. The tide Isa buyers will mean windy

conditions, particularly for the south and