A freak storm caused flash-flooding across Colchester.

Torrential rain hit the town between about 11am and 1pm yesterday, catching shoppers unaware as they enjoyed the humid weather.

A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said they had been “inundated” with calls – but that they were all from the Colchester area.

The headquarters itself, based in Kelvedon, had suffered only a brief heavy shower mid-morning, while other parts of the district had hardly seen a cloud.

A senior fire officer was sent to some of the worst incidents of flooding, but there was nothing that could be done.

Residents in a block of flats in Mersea Road were horrified to discover more than six inches of water creeping up outside their flats, just centimetres away from a brick air vent.

Angel Kalyan, 53, said: “I opened the curtains and swore a lot. It floods here all the time – I’m still waiting for compensation after we were badly flooded in 2005.

“When it rains like that, we have to open the communal doors and let the water flood in, otherwise it goes in the air vent and through holes in the walls and floods our flats.

“If I hadn’t opened the doors then we would have been flooded again.”

Flooding was also reported in East Bay, Berechurch Road, Old Heath Road, Sheepen Place, St Botolph’s Circus, Queen Elizabeth Way, Maldon Road, Layer Road, Abbey Road, Hawkins Road, Drury Road, Middleborough and the Avenue of Remembrance.

Barclays Bank, on the High Street, reported minor flooding and one of the footpaths in Colchester cemetery was impassable under eight inches of water.

Essex County Council’s website had its own warnings in place, after the entry sliproad on the southbound carriageway of the A12 became flooded at the Ardleigh junction, partially blocking the road.