IT'S business as usual for flood-threatened Upton-upon-Severn despite the threat of rising river levels.

Shops and businesses in the town said although it was disappointing to see the river Severn burst its banks once again, they were glad it was nowhere near as bad as what they had suffered during last summer's floods.

However, heavy rain is expected to fall across Worcestershire today so water levels, which had been falling yesterday, are expected to rise and the Environment Agency is keeping the Severn on Flood Watch.

An agency spokeswoman said: "The barriers will stay up at both Worcester and Upton. We are expecting a lot of rain this morning so there are no plans to take them down whatsoever.

"The river was falling slowly yesterday but with more rain coming in that will increase again."

Grahame Bunn, landlord of King's Head, Riverside, said: "It flooded in Upton four times last winter, two times in the summer and this is the second time this winter - it's been horrendous the last 12 to 14 months. I was just relieved the barriers went up in time. I might have cried otherwise. I really hope that with the frequency of the river going up and down they push forward with a permanent flood defence system."

Butcher Rodney Miles of R&L Myers, High Street, said he was amazed at the attention the town had been getting from the media.

He said: "It floods every year. The July floods were exceptional but it has always flooded. It's been pretty quiet in town again but we still get the locals coming in."

Anthony Collis of the Upton tourist information office said the flood might even bring trade to the town.

"We have had a number of visitors coming to take pictures and have a look at the situation so hopefully they will have spent some money here as well," he said.

"It's that time of the year when it does flood - it was the summer floods that knocked everyone for six - but there's not a lot you can do about it. At least people can still get into the town."

Elsewhere, the effects of torrential downpours were being felt in Worcester when a large tree fell from within the grounds of St Mary's Convent School onto Battenhall Road at about 11am yesterday.

A school spokesman said: "The tree was due to be removed by tree surgeons on Wednesday."

Both lanes were blocked while officers from Worcester City Council's arboriculture team cleared the tree.

Meanwhile, a man who died in a road accident in Bewdley on Saturday morning has been named as James Price.

The 27-year-old police community support officer from Kidderminster was on his way to work when the silver Ford Fiesta he was driving was in collision with a black Toyota Landcruiser driven by a Bewdley man in his 50s, who was not injured, in Habberley Road.

The circumstances of the collision are being investigated and police want witnesses to call PC Mark Rowley on 08457 444888 ext 3143 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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