PRIME Minister David Cameron came prepared for the rain yesterday when he opened the new Cotswold cycle route at Chadlington.

The Cotswold Line cycle route between Hanborough and Honeybourne will allow people to cycle the route of the Cotswold Line and will eventually be connected from Worcester to Oxford stations.

But it was not cycling weather and Witney MP Mr Cameron brought his umbrella.

Heavy rainfall across the county led to surface water flooding in the south, including Brightwell-cum-Sotwell and Lower Shiplake.

Crowmarsh Gifford suffered particularly in flash flooding with reports of water reaching as far as front doors.

The area surrounding Dalton Barracks in Abingdon was also badly affected but the county council does not expect the flooding to last.

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “Due to the nature of the rainfall it is likely that the water will disappear quickly, if it hasn’t done already.”

The rain is forecast to continue over the weekend but an Environment Agency spokesman said: “Even with a heavy burst of rain over the weekend we are not expecting any problems other than surface water flooding.”

  • Three Oxfordshire rivers were put on flood alert last night – Ginge Brook in Steventon, the Evenlode from Moreton-in-Marsh to Cassington and the River Glyme at Wootton and Woodstock.