FREAK rainfall caused flash floods in Halstead on Wednesday.

Businesses in Bridge Street were just inches from disaster, with storm drains unable to cope as rainwater poured into the road.

Water on Bridge Street rose quickly, forcing shops to take drastic measures to prevent flooding.

The Original Factory Shop was forced to close its doors and even had to drop its shutters as water threatened to pour into the shop.

Manager Jacqui Spriggs, 54, said: “It was absolutely terrible.

“The rain just came hammering down out of nowhere and it was incredibly persistent.

“To the left of us, down Bridge Street, we could see the overflow system struggling to handle it.

“Traffic made it worse because we had cars going through and also lorries which made the water rise more.

“There wasn’t a soul about, so we put the shutters down to stop the water coming in.

“There was no damage, but we could see the mark the water had left on the shutters and it would have come in to the shop for sure.

“It all happened really quickly, it lasted about 20 minutes.”

However, some businesses on Bridge Street weren't ask lucky.

Kevin Gooday, 52, owner of Coffee Kavern, said: "It came right in to the shop.

"Cars and lorries created a sort of tidal wave and it moved in to the shop front.

"I'd jist and a new carpet laid at the front of the shop too about half an hour before it happened.

"Fortunately it subsided quite quickly."

Bluebridge and Halstead Bowls Club were also hit.