A MONTH’S rain fell in a single hour as parts of Southend and Canvey suffered the second wettest days since records began.

The Essex Weather Centre says 40mm (an inch-and-a-half) of rain –anormal month’s rainfall – was recorded in south Essex between 3pm and 4pm on Saturday.

In parts of Canvey, between 75mm and 100mm (3-4ins) fell in the space of 24 hours.

Tom Defty of the Essex Weather Centre said the figures made Saturday the second wettest day on the Southend coast since records began in the 1890s.

He added: “The persistent rain was caused by an area of low pressure which got stuck over Southend and Canvey for a number of hours.

“It basically stuck there, and would not move, which is quite rare. The wettest day ever was during the Eighties, when a similar thing happened during a storm.

“Readers will be pleased to hear the forecast for the rest of the week is dry and bright.”

Roads were rendered impassable and families forced to flee their homes after the drains in parts of Westcliff, Leigh, Hockley, Rayleigh, Basildon, and Billericay were left unable to cope.

As a result, the Essex Fire and Rescue Service switchboard was bombarded with almost 300 flood-related calls on Saturday night, as householders struggled ub the aftermath.

Motorists suffered long delays when the A127 was closed between the Mayflower retail park, Basildon, and the Fortune of War junction, in Laindon, at about 1.15pm.

Later, the Rayleigh Weir underpass on the A127 was also closed, after becoming submerged.

Drivers were diverted past the flooding via the slip roads.