AS flooding left many drivers trapped on the county's roads, more than 100 school children were forced to find temporary shelter in Ross-on-Wye.

A total of 116 pupils and 12 members of staff from Hanley Castle High School in Upton-on-Severn were making their way back from a four-day break in Newquay.

One parent, Peter Harris, had expected to pick up his daughter Polly in Tewkesbury at around 9.30pm but, after leaving his Malvern home, he found he could get no further than Welland. His wife Jackie said: "We were eventually told that the school party had to return to Ross-on-Wye and would find somewhere to stay overnight."

After spending the night on the floor of the The Royal Hotel's conference room, 12-year-old Polly finally returned home at around 8am on Saturday.

Another group from the school who had visited Llanrug, in north Wales, stayed in an emergency centre in Ross opened by St John Ambulance.

A Hereford motorist has told of his ordeal after being stuck for seven hours on the M50.

David Watkins was attempting to drive to London for a weekend away with his wife and one-year-old daughter, when he got caught in the flood chaos.

Mr Watkins said: "We had just pulled off the slip road at Junction 2, near Ledbury, when everything just stopped. We had left Hereford at 4.30pm and knew it was a wet day, but had heard no indication of trouble on the motorways.

"Just after midnight, the council opened up the central reservation and allowed us to go the wrong way along the motorway back to Ross, and we got home at around 12.45am."

Although Ross was a refuge for many on Friday, the immense amount of rain did eventually catch up with the River Wye.

Alan Wood, who runs the Wyenot News website, said: "It was very bad, like February with flowers.

"The Wye peaked at around 1pm on Sunday. I think about 80 people stayed in a youth club on Saturday and high water caused damage to the Hope and Anchor and the White Lion.

"A friend of mine took her daughter to buy the new Harry Potter book - and ended up with a house full of Scottish people who couldn't get home."