M5 closed: People stranded in South Gloucestershire floods saved by firefighters

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The fire service has had to rescue people from the M5 after floods in the middle of the night left people “stranded on the motorway.”

Heavy rainfall fell through the night causing “significant flooding” on the motorway which remains closed in both directions near Bristol and in South Gloucestershire. Drivers are being urged to avoid the area.

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Avon Fire & Rescue Services said shortly before 3.30am that it was working with National Highways “to rescue people stranded on the motorway,” amid flooding in heavy rainfall.

The motorway remains closed in both directions near Bristol. Northbound, the motorway is closed from junction 16 (Gloucester Road) to junction 14 (for Thornbury).

Meanwhile the motorway is closed southbound from junction 14 down to junction 15 (Almondsbury Interchange). National Highways has warned there are delays of 45 minutes and three miles of congestion in both directions.

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Avon Fire & Rescue Service has warned: “We advise motorists to avoid travelling in the area.”

Traffic in both directions is being diverted onto the A38, with southbound traffic directed to join it via the B4509 westbound.

There is a yellow weather warning for rain in place across all of southern England. This means spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, and there is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads.

Meanwhile flood alerts are in place for a host of rivers, including the Severn and tributaries in Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Tewkesbury, the Bristol Frome catchment, and the Upper Bristol Avon area.

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