A man has died after he was swept away in flood water in Shropshire.
His body was found in a stream in Bitterley near Ludlow as rain caused widespread flash flooding across parts of the West Midlands.
A storm which began in Wales earlier grew stronger as it headed into England with roads quickly becoming flooded.
In south Shropshire three people, including a 90-year-old man, have been rescued by firefighters after flash floods blocked roads.
Across England there are 26 flood alerts - 18 in the Midlands and eight in the North East in addition to a flood warning on the River Rea.
The warning is on the part of the river that goes through Stirchley in Birmingham.
It follows flooding in Northern Ireland on Wednesday night where many roads were impassable and about 1,000 homes were left without power at its height.
West Mercia Police said the man who died in Shropshire is believed to be in his 60s.
A spokesman said the man's body was discovered in a stream just before midday following a search involving the police helicopter and fire rescue boat. His family have been told and the coroner has been informed.
In Wolverhampton the basement of the maternity block at New Cross Hospital was flooded. Firefighters are working to pump the water out.
There are delays on rail services in the West Midlands.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has dealt with 170 flood related calls since 0915, West Midlands Fire Service has dealt with 40.
Two people had to be rescued from a flooded car in Bridgnorth, Shropshire
There are three flood warnings for the River Rea in central Birmingham.
A number of roads are closed in the West Midlands.
An inch of rain (25mm) fell in parts of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Birmingham and the Black Country, in just two hours.
Roads impassableIn Shropshire the Bridgnorth, Cleobury and Ludlow areas were the worst affected, with water more than 2ft deep in places on the A454 near Bridgnorth.
Two of the three people rescued were pulled from cars after becoming stranded in floodwater on the A454, near The Wheel pub, West Mercia Police said.
The A464 was also blocked after heavy rain, which started at about 09:00 BST.
Two primary schools near Ludlow and Bridgnorth have said they would close at 13:00 BST and a high school in Rubery, in the West Midlands, closed in the morning due to floods.
In Ludlow, Will Holland, a chef at La Becasse, said he arrived at work to find the wine cellar flooded. He added the flooding would not close the restaurant.
Councillor Martin Taylor Smith, who lives in Ludlow, said the floods were the worst in the town since 2007 when heavy flooding caused widespread damage across the West Midlands.
BBC correspondent Phil Mackie, in Worcestershire, one of the areas which has been worst affected, said: "One especially fierce burst of rainfall brought Worcester to a standstill. The storm continued through Birmingham and Staffordshire into the East Midlands where it has continued to cause disruption."
The fire service in Herefordshire and Worcestershire said it had received more than 60 calls about the flash flooding.
Cars stuckIt said reports of flooded homes and cars stuck in water were made from areas including Kington, Kingsland and Eardisley.
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A spokeswoman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said a rescue boat had been called to a car stuck at a farm near Llanwarne.
Network Rail said railway lines in both directions had been blocked after flooding at Rowley Regis with trains unable to get past the station.
The railway line has since reopened.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather alert for the West Midlands.
A spokesman said there was potential for slow moving torrential downpours to develop through the afternoon and into the evening.
In the East Midlands some Olympic torch bearers taking part in the relay from Lincoln to Nottingham are going to be transported in vehicles because of lightning.
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