RINGWOOD was today under siege from its rivers as water engulfed a mobile home park and gushed into shops and houses.

Floods described by residents as the worst in the town for at least 30 years built up yesterday and there were severe problems through the night.

Council and Environment Age-ncy staff went to Stubbings Meadow Park late last night to try to urge people to move out.

Dave Brown, assistant housing director with New Forest council, said: "At the moment people here are either staying put or going to stay with relatives.

"We have a duty to re-house them if necessary and we're on standby for that."

Mobile home resident John Pettifer, whose property was completely surrounded by water, said: "Someone came round and suggested I move out because there was likely to be more flooding.

"The weather forecast for the next couple of days is sunshine and rain, so I'm staying put. But it is very worrying."

Mr Pettifer also pointed out that the level of water on his steps had gone down by one inch between 7.15am and 8.15am today, but the situation was being closely monitored by the Environment Agency and the local authority.

Nicola Loader, 17, and her brother Stephen, 20, did move home to stay with their mother overnight. They were back at Stubbings Mea-dow today and hoping for an improvement.

Elizabeth Davies, 78, said: "I've lived here for 30 years and I've never seen anything like this. I've got pictures of swans and cygnets in the garden from yesterday."

Mrs Davies was moving nearby to stay with her daughter.

The park is between the Bickerley stream and the River Avon, both of which have burst their banks.