AN elderly couple had to be rescued from their car as floodwaters threatened to engulf them.

Fire crews successfully managed to get the trapped pair out of their vehicle which was stuck in Shell Ford in Himbleton, near Droitwich, shortly after 7pm on Saturday.

It was one of a number of incidents caused by torrential rain that wreaked havoc over the weekend.

Firefighters had to pump floodwater out of two neighbouring houses in Canterbury Road in the Ronkswood area of Worcester late on Friday night.

But Droitwich was hardest hit by flash floods. Shops and houses in the town were deluged by water two-feet deep in some places.

The roof of Smart Ideas card shop, in St Andrews Square, collapsed after guttering overflowed.

Adrian Freeman, of Smart Ideas, said hundreds of cards were ruined.

"It's caused substantial damage," he said.

"Most of the cards got wet and a till's had it.

"We've been here 27 years and nothing's happened before. We're working hard to re-open by mid-week."

Meanwhile, a barber in Queen Street was horrified when floodwater threatened to surge into his shop.

Tony Ciriello, of Tony Hair Studio, filled 10 buckets by the time firefighters arrived on the scene.

His shop was saved by a wall that he built at the back door after being affected by previous floods.

Mr Ciriello, who lives in Red Hill, Worcester, blamed blocked drains.

"It's an absolutely ridiculous situation. I would like to see something done to rectify it," he said.

The water might have gone by Saturday morning, but the chaos it caused was very clear to see.

Mr Ciriello's yard was filled with guttering which collapsed under the pressure, and rubbish was strewn about after bins were knocked over.

Mark Duggan, aged 40, of Levett and Hill butcher's said that flood prevention work was carried out in Queen Street about three years ago, but this had been to no avail.