DOWNPOURS led to more scenes of flooding in Tipton St John, Otterton and Ottery St Mary last weekend.

DOWNPOURS led to more scenes of flooding in Tipton St John, Otterton and Ottery St Mary last weekend.

Fierce storms led to overnight chaos on East Devon's roads which led to the emergency services, the County Highways Agency and Environment Agency all having to act had to act quickly to aid stranded motorists and clear debris.

Tipton St John, recovering form devastation in October, once again saw its playing fields and one of its much-maligned tennis courts submerged by water and covered in mud and silt when it receded.

Owners of Otterton Mill looked on in horror as floods damaged its recently resurfaced car park. The tourist attraction had only been open for a fortnight since flooding on October 30 left it shut for a month. Caroline Spiller said that luckily no water got into any of the buildings on site.

Despite the overnight onslaught of water, Otterton's Christmas Reindeer Run, organised by the village's primary school, went ahead although the route had to be changed.

Homes in Ottery St Mary were affected by overflowing streams and drains.

Councillor Margaret Rogers, Devon County Council's executive member for the environment, said: "This was another exceptionally violent storm, and terribly distressing for the many people who were affected.

"East Devon has once again been hit badly, although fortunately properties have not been affected on the scale they were in October. However, coming so close behind the appalling storms we suffered then, last night's flooding has only added to the misery.