Flooding to streets throughout St Albans has been causing traffic chaos throughout the district this morning (Friday).

Vehicles have been abandoned in some roads, and motorists have suffered major delays.

A spokeswoman for Herts Police said the force issued a weather warning at 5.30am to motorists after flooding resulted in 3ft-deep water on some roads.

Some roads are impassable because of high water levels.

The spokeswoman said that among the many roads flooded are Lower Luton and Luton Roads, and Bower Heath Lane in Harpenden. Redbourn and Sandridge Roads are also flooded.

A spokesman for Herts county council warned motorists against driving through deep water.

He said the Herts Fire Service has been kept extremely busy, attending 200 incidents since midnight – mainly to calls in relation to flooding.

Also, the Environment Agency (EA) has issued several flood alerts for the district including the River Lea in Harpenden and Wheathampstead.

The agency said that river levels have “reacted to persistent rain that has fallen overnight and this morning.

“Rivers are expected to rise, resulting in flooding to lower-lying land, roads and gardens next to the river.

“Surface water flooding can also be expected in some locations.”

There has also been a flood alert issued for Upper River Colne in the villages of Colney Heath and London Colney.

The EA said that the river level has again been rising following rainfall, and water “may cause localised flooding to low-lying areas”.