Motorists had to be rescued from their cars after torrential rain caused flash floods in St Albans on Friday.

The dry start to September ended dramatically when sudden downpours flooded parts of the city on Friday night, with more than three inches of rain falling in just one hour.

Emergency services were called to a dozen streets between 5pm and 6pm after neighbours raised the alarm and torrential downpours halted cars and flooded houses.

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning on Friday morning - which said there could be localised flooding and disruption to transport.

Among the call-outs were St Albans Mencap in Verulam Road, Harness Way, Sutton Road, Eaton Road, Sherwood Avenue, St Vincent Drive and Sandpit Lane.

The Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Centre in Highfield Park Drive was forced to close for the evening - and Oaklands Primary School in Oakwood Drive closed on Monday to repair the damage.

The school, which teaches 314 pupils aged between four and 11, reopened on Tuesday.

Deputy headteacher Laura Hall said: "Water came off the fields into the classrooms and flooded the school. It is still drying out now so we don’t know the extent of the damage.

"Without the support of parents and staff we would not be open now.

"People came in over the weekend and helped mop up the water. It really was all hands on deck."

Richard Housden lives in London Colney and said Hertfordshire County Council is not doing enough to prevent flooding.

The 68-year-old, who lives in Five Acres, said: "Although the council recently cleared part of the failed and unmaintained drainage system to the rear of houses in Five Acres, London Colney, after the first spell of rain houses flooded yet again.

"We had around three inches of water, which I had to divert away from the house with sandbags.

"As an OAP who has just come out of hospital following heart surgery I am not in a fit state of health to be fixing the council's failed and unmaintained drains.

"I am a retired highways manager with many years experience in maintenance but it seems the council is not willing to ask those directly involved in the flooding, and who witness where the water flows from, for any help or guidance "We are at risk of being un-insurable due to the number of times we have been flooded because of the council’s negligence.

"If those representing us cannot do the job they are there to do, we need them replacing with someone more capable.

"We as residents are our wits' end. More needs to be done to help residents and we shouldn’t be waiting until the Colney breaks to do this.

"With winter on the way I have no doubt this will happen again."

Mr Housden spent £4,000 repairing his house after floods earlier this year.

He added: "The stress this is causing is not good. I had to lift the lids on the drains in the pouring rain to save my house.

"We need a 20m ditch build to save the problem. This is not the first time and will not be the last time it has flooded. We are all suffering."

The county council last week committed a further £1 million to fix the outstanding flood damage the county's roads and pavements suffered last winter.

It adds to the £6 million of funding already provided by the coalition government.

Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats welcomed the news but questioned why it had taken over seven months for the Conservative-led county council to act.

Paul Zukowskyj, Lib Dem shadow spokesman for resources, said: "I'm astonished at just how long the Conservatives have taken on this - the flood damage has been there for many months and in some cases may well have deteriorated further.

"The outstanding repairs, where the cost hasn't yet been finalised and therefore funding not committed, are also a concern."

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