Heavy torrential rain hit Britain on Friday, bringing misery to hundreds of people stranded overnight on motorways and in leisure centers, as many areas were submerged, Sky News reported on Saturday.

 

In some areas in England and Wales, torrential rainfall was twice the monthly average in just a few hours. Many drivers were still stranded after spending the night in their cars on the motorway in Worcestershire, central England, some with no food or water.

 

Others abandoned their vehicles and joined more than 600 people overnight in a leisure center in Gloucester, on the western coast. Royal Air Force helicopters worked throughout the night to rescue people in the area, said the report.

 

The rain also caused severe delays on the transport network with railways and roads suffering as well as many airports. Some 141 flights were cancelled at Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, and passengers were warned about possible delays as school holidays began.

 

Southern and southwest England bore the brunt of the bad weather, which is forecast to sweep north to reach Scotland and Northern Ireland over the weekend.

 

Police have advised motorists not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

 

Both the Environment Agency and the Met Office have issued warnings of floods and severe weather covering the whole of England and Wales from midnight on Saturday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2007)