Hundreds of drivers defied ‘road closed’ signs and drove through flood water to continue crossing the A1101 Wash Road/Welney Causeway today.

Cambs Times: Motorists defying road closed signs at Welney on the A1101 today, The road is only jiust passable. Picture; JOHN ELWORTHYMotorists defying road closed signs at Welney on the A1101 today, The road is only jiust passable. Picture; JOHN ELWORTHY (Image: Archant)

With the water levels rising, Norfolk County Council authorised closure of the road but the signs are being ignored - and at the Welney village end the barrier was shifted.

Villagers in Welney are divided over how the closure will affect them, with one posting to a local Facebook page that "it is not a major obstacle, in my opinion, to getting around."

She said getting to Cambridge takes an extra 7-10 minutes and Ely an extra 15-20 minutes.

"It is Littleport, an extra 25-30 minutes, that is the issue," she said.

However another villager who works in Cambridge posted that "I need to leave at least 45 minutes earlier than usual when the road is flooded because of the additional traffic".

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Due to the recent heavy rainfall we have seen high river levels across East Anglia.

"With more rain forecast for the coming days it's likely that more flood water will be going in to the Ouse Washes Flood Storage Reservoir and on to the A1101 Wash Road/Welney Causeway."

The spokeperson added: "People who may be affected are advised to check the nearby electronic signage which will update drivers of the current water levels on the road.

"Drivers are urged to stay safe and not drive through flood water. Just 30cm of flood water can move a car."

You can keep up to date with Flood Alerts and Warnings for your area via the website flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk