SEVERAL businesses in Hitchin spent Monday (23 September), cleaning up after being hit by flooding, with more than a month's rainfall coming down in just a few hours on Sunday.

While Hitchin escaped some of the worst impact of a day of heavy rainfall across the region, some streets were hit and businesses affected as water reached a level of several inches.

Sun Street and Bridge Street were among the worst affected.

Some business owners have already questionned the town's preparedness for the deluge, saying storm drains were unable to cope, with some appearing to be blocked.

There were delays to motorists on the A1M south of Hitchen becasue of damage to the carriageway.

The damaged A1.

Posting a photo of a hole in the road on social media, the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit said: "Apologies if you are stuck in the tailback on the northbound carriageway of the A1 at Welwyn. This explains why."