ROADS and gardens across the county were flooded yet again as fire chiefs urged drivers to be more responsible on water-logged routes.
After previous flooding two weeks ago, the rain came down once more over the Christmas period.
The fire service received more than 100 calls about flooded roads and gardens, as well as dozens of calls from drivers stranded in flood waters.
By noon on Christmas Day, a deluge of calls had been made by concerned residents in the worst flooded areas such as Heybridge, Brentwood and Ongar.
An elderly couple in Basin Road, Heybridge, found their home flooded before crews from Chelmsford and a water rescue team from Leigh were sent to rescue a trapped driver in Red Rose Lane, Blackmore.
Meanwhile, more crews were called to attend incidents in the notorious flood black spots Buttsbury Wash, near Ingatestone; in Bury Lane, Epping; Matching Green near Harlow and Borehams Lane in Danbury.
Frustrated by the number of drivers attempting to go through flood water, divisional officer Neil Fenwick said: "It is astonishing just how many motorists have driven their car into flood water and need our help to get themselves, and often their families, out of their predicament.
"If you can't see how deep the water is, don't drive through it, it's as simple as that.
"Every time there is flooding the service has to rescue people who have driven their cars into flood water.
"We will rescue people but it is down to a recovery service to get the vehicles out, so motorists should only call the emergency services if there is a risk to life or a danger to people trapped.
"When faced with water drivers should exercise a little common sense.
"It may take a bit longer, but find an alternative route. If there is no way round, park safely and get out to check the depth of the water before you drive into it.
"Just driving into water and hoping for the best is not an option, by the time you find out the water is too deep you are already trapped."
But the flood water proved to be a playground for the likes of Owen Ellis, 25, and his friend Mark Keatley-Clarke.
Owen, who is an outdoor instructor from Great Braxted, and Mark, of Wickham Bishops, planned to kayak around Paper Mill Lock, in Little Baddow, on Boxing Day.
In order to get there, the pair had to kayak along a flooded road, passing abandoned cars on their journey.
"It was really quite weird to kayak past a car," said Owen.
"We were practising breaking in and breaking out – where a big boulder creates a still piece of water that you can rest in – but we were using the cars instead of a boulder on the way back!"
Another person who was kept entertained on Christmas Day was Chris Cook, of Witham.
He took this picture of a man clinging on to a measuring board in Terling, near Witham.
"I was travelling through Terling Christmas day and I spotted a car in the ford, under six feet of water," he said.
"The driver had come from the opposite side and thought that the water wouldn't be too deep. He was trying to attach a winch to the car, wearing a onesie and a pair of swimming goggles. You couldn't make this up."
