A BRIDGE in south Essex has been hit by flooding as drivers are being urged to avoid using the road.

The railway bridge on Hawk Hill, Battlesbridge, is flooded with the owners of nearby pub The Hawk urging drivers not to drive through the water as it is "deeper than it looks".

The Hawk pub said: "We really don’t recommend driving through it as it’s deeper than it looks!

"Please allow an extra 5 minutes for your journey as you’ll need to go the long way round.

"Just take the next exit on the roundabout towards Rayleigh and then first left and you’ll come from the other side of the village."

The popular Hawk pub is situated in Battlesbridge, off the A130, and previously warned customers last weekend that the road had been impacted by flooding.

The Met Office recommends people keep up to date with the weather forecast in their area and to check road conditions, as "spray and flooding on roads" could increase journey times.

This closure follows the Met Office's yellow weather warning covering Essex and the whole East of England from Saturday at 3pm to this morning at 9am.