This was the heart-stopping scene outside homes in Bury St Edmunds after a deluge of rain caused a street to flood - putting people’s houses within seconds of disaster.
But luckily, just as the water was lapping around people’s door edges, the storm eased off - narrowly avoiding what might’ve been.
The heavy rain and thunderstorm hit west Suffolk around 5.30pm on Sunday, August 16.
In Fen Way, Bury St Edmunds, resident Steve Walton said that “drains were overwhelmed and caused flooding”.
He said it was a “close call” as his pictures show the water coming dangerous close to people’s front doors - but he added: “Luckily the storm eased off as the water lapped at the door edges, sparing the residents from flooding.”
The heavy rain caused chaos across the region over the weekend.
Bury St Edmunds’ Glasswells furniture store was forced to close its doors to customers on Monday due to a “huge flood” the day before.
MORE: Flood-hit furniture store forced to close for the day
Firefighters were called to several incidents of flooding on Sunday afternoon, mainly in the west of the county, following heavy rainfall.
Crews from Bury St Edmunds station responded to three flooding reports within two hours between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
Firefighters from Wickhambrook, Ixworth and Newmarket stations were also mobilised to incidents throughout the afternoon.
In Chelmsford, two men were spotted paddling in a canoe down a flooded street.
WATCH: Men canoe down flooded streets after huge downpour
Beeches Road was inundated with rain and two men were even seen taking advantage of the downpour.
Residents described scenes of “carnage” and said “Chelmsford was sinking”, while one person said they had “never seen rain like it”.
The Red Arrows were also forced to cancel their VJ Day flypast over west Suffolk on Saturday due to the weather.
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