A deluge of rain overnight and this morning has caused traffic problems in West Devon.

The Met Office yellow weather warning issued for rain for half of today has seen torrents of water across and down roads, causing some minor roads to be blocked and shops flooded.

In Tavistock, Pixon Lane has become impassable in the last hour, while the post office and shop near Abbey Bridge, has been flooded with staff bailing out rainwater from the front door, forcing them to use the flood barrier. Meanwhile, the adjacent pedestrian crossing rendered useless by a giant puddle.

The scene is replicated across the town and elsewhere, with heavy rain causing flash floods and temporary streams to run off Dartmoor and fields and down residential roads and across Whitchurch Road at regular intervals.

The forecast is for the rain to stop by early afternoon.

The Met Office reported that 21.2mm of rain had fallen at Burrator Reservoir near Tavistock in the 12 hours from 10pm last night to 10am this morning, recorded in the Environment Agency rain gauge at the reservoir.

A Met Office spokesperson said: “It’s worth noting that a lot of this rain has fallen in intense downpours which could have caused the surface water flooding.”