Flooding is expected to hit the Leatherhead area again this evening with the River Mole set to reach record levels.

The town is forecast to have light rain today and heavy rain tonight and tomorrow with the Met Office has issued a severe rain warning for Surrey.

Andrea Norbury, from Thorncroft Stables, Leatherhead, said she was moving her horses to another field after hearing that the flooding was going to be worse than Christmas Eve.

Ms Norbury said: "It’s just a nightmare, it’s non-stop. It’s rising rapidly. I just want to shut Thorncroft down for a bit."

Nik Cookson, from Thorncroft Drive, Epsom, said: "We are feeling fairly bereft. A home that we love and adore has gone. We will get it back eventually but it has gone for now.

"We’re almost feeling resigned, but we are equally sure that a lot of people are a lot worse off than us."

Last night a flood alert for the River Mole said "significant flooding" was expected to hit low lying land and roads and properties could be flooded.

It said river levels were expected to peak in Leatherhead this evening.

Today the revised flood alert said: "River levels remain high and and are expected to overtop banks in places. There is potential for flooding of low-lying land and roads.

"Property flooding is not expected. River levels are predicted to rise in response to heavy rainfall from midnight tonight until 6am Saturday morning."

At 11am today the river level in Leatherhead stood at 2.92 metres, well above the level where flooding becomes possible. Before Christmas Eve the highest level ever recorded was 3.07 metres.

A Met Office amber warning said: "Another band of rain, heavy at times, accompanied by coastal gales will affect southwest England during Friday evening, moving quickly east across other southern areas early on Saturday, followed by frequent heavy and squally showers.

"The public should be prepared for disruption due to flooding."

Robert Russell, from Hatch Gardens, Burgh Heath, said the road by Epsom Downs Racecourse appears to flood every time it rains.

Mr Russell said: "I would like to know why there is always flooding on the road between the roundabout outside the grandstand and Tattenham Corner and why it has not been dealt with.

"It seems that no one is concerned. This flooding has been ongoing now for several years and with the amount of rain we have had this year the area concerned seems to have been flooded every day since December.

"Today it is like a small boating lake."

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