OXFORDSHIRE is facing a summer washout after the county saw almost half of the average rainfall for June fall in just one day.

A yellow warning – the lowest of three severe weather alerts – was issued by the Met Office on Sunday and was soon followed by more than 20mm (0.8in) of rain in 24 hours yesterday.

The average rainfall for the June is 50.1mm (2in). Even before the downpours, the Met Office said 55.2mm (2.2in) of rain had fallen so far this month at RAF Brize Norton.

Last night the River Thame between Dorchester and Thame and Chalgrove Brook at Stadhampton and Chalgrove had all been put on flood alert.

And there is no end in sight, the forecasters warning the rain will continue into the weekend. There were reports of surface flooding across Oxford yesterday, including in Marsh Lane, Cowley, and at Osney Mead.

The Environment Agency is testing river defence barriers and pumps in case they are needed. Since 2007, when Oxfordshire was devastated by severe floods, the agency has kept a stock of flood barriers at its Osney base.

The barriers stand 2ft high and are more waterproof than sandbags. The agency now has enough available to protect the whole of Osney Island in West Oxford.

If flooding is particularly bad – which is not anticipated – teams from the agency, Oxford City Council, fire service and police will set up the barriers.

Environment Agency flood risk management team leader Peter Collins said: “In 2007 we were working with the city council and deploying hundreds and hundreds of sandbags, which was very labour-intensive. This is much quicker, reusable and gives locals a lot more protection and confidence.

“The Thames is nowhere near 2007’s level. There is still capacity to drain itself.”

“Because the Thames is quite slow we’d have at least two days notice if it was needed.”

But he added: “Residents should always been prepared because every heavy rain event is different and may impact on you differently.”

Yesterday, agency staff were visiting the known problem areas to clear branches and debris.

The Met Office said the wet weather was likely to continue.

The warning of further rain comes after residents who were evacuated after floods tore through their homes in Wales continued with the clear-up.

The South East of England was also affected, with firefighters in West Sussex receiving dozens of flood-related calls.

Spokesman Dan Williams said: “There will be rain, particularly in the morning, but it is not likely to be as heavy as we saw yesterday.

“We might see dry and possibly bright spells in the afternoon but that will be short-lived and we could see heavy showers tomorrow.

“Another low pressure system, bringing more unsettled, wet and windy weather, will move in on Thursday and into the weekend.”

Mr Williams said the yellow severe weather warning would be lifted later today but the situation would be monitored as the next weather front moved in.

l THE annual Riverside Festival in Charlbury has been postponed because of yesterday’s torrential rain.

Organiser Andy Pickard had been warned by the Environment Agency that the heavy rain would make the site next to the River Evenlode unusable.

He said: “This is the 16th year of the Riverside Festival and we have never had to postpone it before.

“I am convinced I’ve made the right decision, bearing in mind safety of the public.”

The festival will be rearranged for another date this summer, but not before the end of June.