Oxford main road reopens as county battles floods

A main road into a city centre has partially reopened four days after being shut due to flooding.

Abingdon Road in Oxford was closed on Friday in the wake of Storm Henk.

Fire crews are continuing to pump water from the remaining closed section between Old Abingdon Road and Weirs Lane, Oxfordshire County Council said.

Local councillor Anna Railton said some homes in the area had suffered from a loss of electricity and water as well as sewage problems.

In Abingdon, Larkmead School closed after the site became flooded, with remote learning in operation.

Head teacher Jonathan Dennett said the boiler house was under 4ft (1.2m) of water, which had "wiped out hot water and heating".

"We lost electricity and we also lost internet across the school site," he explained, adding: "It directly affects 30 classrooms, the canteen and support."

Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran spoke in Parliament about the school's plight and the lack of flood defences for the town.

Minister for Water and Rural Growth Robbie Moore, who was answering questions from MPs about the impact of the storm, agreed to discuss the matter further with Ms Moran.

The River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames closed its doors to the public because the high water levels made the entrance and car park inaccessible.

"At least we can say we have a truly interactive river experience these days," museum director Steve O'Connor joked.

"Thankfully the building itself is on stilts… but our car park is most certainly under water and undoubtedly there is damage there that we'll have to assess once the water recedes."

He said a "major clean up operation" would take place.

Mr Saidy and his mother, Salimata Whyte, who live near the Abingdon Road in Oxford, have not been able to go back to work because they have been dealing with the aftermath of the flood.

"My mum came downstairs and she woke us up just to see the house flooding," Mr Saidy explained.

"We were trying to get the water out but the water was coming from the ground."

Ms Whyte added: "There's water in the living room, the kitchen, my son's room… there's no electricity and heating in there.

"That's my headache for now - it's going to be a big job."

Anna Railton, councillor for Hinksey Park, said it had been "pretty grim for that family and other families".

She added: "There's been people without electricity, one household without mains water, there's been quite a lot of backed up drains, so it's been a very stressful time for a lot of residents indeed."

But she said "neighbours and everybody else are rallying around and trying to help out where they can which has been really good to see".

She said the situation "has, on the whole, been pretty well managed" though she pointed to "a few bumpy bits", such as one of the bus operators "not fully grasping the closure" and needing to do a three-point-turn.

Ms Railton said the White House pub was "certainly full on Saturday night" and that the Tesco had done "an admirable job staying open despite being welly-only access for multiple days".

Oxfordshire County Council said the original decision to close Abingdon Road was taken for safety reasons.

The authority also closed Clifton Hampden Bridge from Abingdon Road to Long Wittenham.

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