TORRENTIAL rain caused chaos across the city yesterday with flash floods engulfing roads as drainage struggled to cope.

The downpour led to a tree toppling in Hylton Road, which destroyed a wall and forced police to block off the road leaving cars stranded at the the retail park.

Rain had started overnight and there were intermittent bursts before the heaven's well and truly opened around 9am and thundered down.

Drains erupted in the likes of The Butts and Malvern Road, while drivers battled their way through the main downpour which lasted nearly two hours.

Lighter rain continued on and off for several hours, with Hickory's Smokehouse car park in Tybridge Street and the entrance to Cripplegate Park largely underwater until lunchtime.

As water streamed through Tybridge, a police van put a diversion at the turn-off onto Hylton Road near McDonald's around 11am and then parked up further down the road, preventing traffic reaching the scene of the fallen tree.

However, this left motorists having to leave their cars in the retail park, which is only free for two hours, with no indication when the road would be opened.

"I appreciate the tree has come down but it's much further up past the Crown & Anchor," said a car owner who had abandoned their car at the retail park.

"After two hours we're all just going to have to come back and buy tickets. The police don't seem to know when they'll be moving.

"Seems over the top and trying to loop back round won't work either because the traffic's so bad and then the Henwick Road junction is blocked off as well, so you'd end up coming back or going miles out of the way."

By 2pm, Hylton Road was back open.

At 3pm Worcestershire County Council Highways department tweeted: "We have cleared rubble from Hylton Road and have removed the fallen tree, the road is being swept.

"We are awaiting confirmation from Building Control that the remaining wall is safe. "Two-way temp lights in place currently," they added.

Earlier in the day, Hereford & Worcester Fire group commander Stu Crebbin said: "Flash floods can rise and disappear very quickly but they are often fast-flowing and powerful, with the ability to take you off your feet.

"Flood waters can also mask unseen hazards and can be deeper than you think, so don’t walk or drive into them."