WIND and rain across Hunts is continuing to cause problems with the region’s road systems with areas of ground underwater. A number of roads are still underwater and both police and the fire service are warning drivers to take care when driving on flooded roads.

WIND and rain across Hunts is continuing to cause problems with the region’s road systems with areas of ground underwater.

A number of roads are still underwater and both police and the fire service are warning drivers to take care when driving on flooded roads.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Officer Dave Richardson said: "Driving into floods and on submerged roads can be extremely dangerous as it is hard to judge how deep the water is and can cause a number of problems. Water getting into the engine can make a car stall and may make it impossible to restart the car.

"If you come across a flooded road, we would advise you not to enter the water but instead take an alternate route."

Large areas of Riverside park in Huntingdon were under water this morning (Thursday) as the River Great Ouse burst its banks.

The fire service have been responding to a number of flooding incidents as motorists try to drive through water logged roads.

Yesterday morning (Wednesday) a woman had to SWIM out of her car when it became submerged in 4ft of water at Church End in Hilton at about 9.30am.

Two other motorists also became trapped in the water and fire fighters rescued a man who was trapped in 3.5ft of water while another woman was able to walk to safety.

Another man was rescued from his car in King’s Street, St Neots, after he drove through a flooded road, while eyewitnesses reported seeing cars in ditches on the B645 near Stonely.

Flood warnings and flood watch alerts are in place for the rivers Great Ouse and Kym and tributaries of those rivers.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council said: "The sheer weight of water that has fallen means that water cannot enter the rivers and is settling on the land and roads.

"The most important thing for motorists is not to ignore road closure signs. They are there for a reason and vehicles will get stuck if they are ignored."

The AA offer the following advice to motorists driving on flooded roads:

Only drive through water if you know how deep it is.

Drive slowly and steadily to avoid creating a bow wave. Allow on-coming traffic to pass first and test your brakes as soon as you can after leaving the water.

Don't try driving through fast-moving water such as at a flooded bridge approach - your car could easily be swept away.

Driving fast through standing water is dangerous - tyres lose contact with the road and you lose steering control in what's known as 'aquaplaning'. Watch out for standing water, trying to avoid it if you can, and adjust your speed to the conditions. If you do experience aquaplaning, hold the steering wheel lightly and lift off the throttle until the tyres regain grip.

Driving fast through standing water is inconsiderate - driving through water at speeds above a slow crawl can result in water being thrown onto pavements, soaking pedestrians or cyclists. You could face a hefty fine and between three and nine penalty points if the police believe you were driving without reasonable consideration to other road users.

Driving fast through standing water can cause expensive damage - the air intake on many cars is low down at the front of the engine bay and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage. All engines are affected but turbo-charged and diesel engines are most vulnerable.

As you drive slowly through standing water keep the engine revving by slipping the clutch otherwise water in the exhaust could stall the engine.

If you break down in heavy rain don't prop the bonnet open while you wait for the patrol to arrive - the engine will be more difficult to start again if the electrics are all rain-soaked.