THE worst weather for several generations hit Herefordshire this week causing widespread misery for shops, businesses and commuters.

Roads across the county resembled rivers and public transport was brought to a standstill after two months of rain fell in just one day.

Six schools were deluged by water with the mop-up bill expected to pass £1 million - and all this at the start of the summer holidays.

Many people were forced to spend the night in their cars or at colleagues' houses as their usual route home became blocked with floodwater rising at an alarming speed.

The weather not only affected people in the county, but those returning to it. More than 30 members of the Tupsley Townswomen's Guild had to spend the night at Frankley Service Station, near Birmingham, after floods prevented their coach returning to Hereford from the Townswomen's Guilds annual meeting in Glasgow.

Across the county, villages resembled islands as water breached banks, crossed fields and entered properties.

The fire service was also kept busy on the Welsh border in Hay-on-Wye where crews were called to Castle Gardens to prevent water from a nearby stream entering a cottage and the town's youth centre.

Many people in the north-east of the county were left without water after the treatment works at Whitbourne was hit by flooding.

Welsh Water supplied residents in the Bromyard area with bottled water until the pumps were restored early on Monday morning.

The company still asked residents to minimise their usage to help the recovery', adding that tap water should be boiled before drinking.

Businesses in the west of the county did not escape the problems either.

"Within 15 minutes the water was in our shop and around six inches deep," said Ellie Thorneycroft, who owns Karasel Equine Supplies in Eardisley.

"A lot of stock is damaged but we are still trading via our website, although our shop is temporarily closed."

Holidaymakers were affected at Lucksall Caravan Park on the B4224 between Mordiford and Fownhope when caravans became swamped with floodwater. The site closed on Saturday but bosses are hopeful it will open again this weekend.

"We knew it was likely to flood so we advised all our guests that we were evacuating the site," said site manager Karen Matthews. "Some went home and others parked in the car park at the Moon Inn at Mordiford.

"The caravans that were partly submerged were owned by our seasonal pitchers."

In Hereford, the Merton Meadow car park was closed, with water leaving almost 200 vehicles stranded. Football fans also had to look for alternative entertainment after Hereford United's pre-season friendly with Bristol City was called off because of conditions surrounding the Edgar Street ground.

Another casualty was the CLA (Country Land and Business Association) Game Fair at the Harewood Estate, postponed for the first time in its 49-year history.

Spectators on Castle Green were also left frustrated after the Sounding Retreat concert by the Band and Bugles of the Rifles was abandoned.

Forthcoming efforts have also fallen foul of the elements.

This Saturday's Pembridge Show and the Llanthony Valley and District Show, scheduled for August 4, have both been postponed owing to waterlogged venues.

But around 1,500 hardened festival goers did not let the rain get the better of them when they battled the elements and enjoyed a mud-soaked weekend at Sheep Music in Presteigne.