Torrential rain brought more flooding misery to Oxfordshire for the second time in two months. An inch of rain - the monthly average for this time of year - fell within a few hours yesterday, causing flash floods across the county.

Homes and businesses were flooded, many roads were under water and Rail services were disrupted.

Oxfordshire Fire Service took scores of emergency calls as crews turned out to aid stricken families.

West Oxfordshire suffered some of the worst flooding, with villages north of Witney being particularly hard-hit as the downpour reached its peak around midday.

In Hailey Road and Eastfield Road in Witney, the torrent flooded several homes, closing the road for several hours and causing congestion in the town centre.

Off-duty firefighter Steve Aldridge helped save his parents' and grandmother's two cottages with the help of neighbours and a Witney fire crew.

Helped by his fellow firefighters, he organised sandbags and sleepers to divert the water away from the two houses.

His mother Tricia said: "I've lived here for more than 36 years and I don't think it's ever been this bad."

The county council's area highways engineer Martin Turner said: "I've never seen it so bad on the roads.

"The water is just flowing off the land on to the roads and the drainage system is choc-a-bloc."

Firefighters and other volunteers helped carry children from Witney Community Primary School across Hailey Road after they became stranded.

Youngsters brave the floods in Hailey Road, Witney

The road between Abingdon and Cumnor was also made impassable by a muddy tide several inches deep. Staff at the Corner House Garage near Wootton battled to prevent the torrent of water entering the showroom where new Seat cars worth almost 100,000 were under threat.

Company director Michael Minns who is also a member of Wootton Parish Council, said ocal ditches were already flooded and could not take any more water, with blockages from debris adding to the problem.

His anger was directed at the Vale of White Horse District Council which had declared there was no problem after hedgerow cutting last year.

"Well, there is a problem now and I think some of this flooding could have been avoided," said Mr Minns.

A spokesman for the Vale Council said they were dealing with dozens of inquiries and requests for help, but declined to comment on specific problems.

The A4095 between Witney and Bladon was closed for a short period, and deep floodwater was also reported between Botley and Farmoor.

In the south of the county, the day's heavy rainfall brought the River Thames within inches of breaking its banks again for the second time since mid-December.

In Benson, families faced a nightmare when water fron the swollen local brook flooded a house in Brook Street.

Householder, Christopher Evers, was dismayed to discover the culvert under his property had again failed to cope with the flow, flooding his lounge and dining room.

He was angry the authorities had not listened to his earlier warnings that the culvert was inadequate after the flooding of Brook Street many times this winter.

"I've been trying to get something done about it all winter," he said. "I don't want to apportion blame, but it's been a long, long battle to get the local authority to do something."

A spokesman for the fire service said that crews had been out all night attending 35 emergency call-outs.

Today, homes in Brook Street, Benson, and Netherton Road, Appleton, near Abingdon, were still being pumped out.

One driver in Eynsham Road, near Oxford, abandoned his car in a ditch after struggling to drive through knee-deep water.

Rail services on the Cotswold line were disrupted by the flooding.