HIGHWAY teams across Somerset responded to more than 500 calls this week as severe wet and windy weather hit the county. 

More than 100mm of rain fell across Somerset between Saturday and Monday night. 

Somerset County Council received around 420 calls about flooding on the highway with the remainder to report road traffic accidents, fallen trees, debris on the highway or road damage. 

In total ten out-of-hours highways teams were in action during Monday night, working through until 4am. There were so many incidents that at one point it was feared the team would run out of signs, although it didn’t quite come to that.

Cllr David Fothergill, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “The emergency work carried out by our highways teams often goes unnoticed – and for good reason, as usually they are out in horrendous conditions when most of us are safely at home.

“This was an extreme storm and caused extreme disruption, but it could have been much worse without the tireless efforts of these staff.

“In West Somerset in particular, their efforts to clear two blocked roads helped prevent a very serious situation from becoming much worse.

“My thanks to them all and I hope they dry out soon.”