A new pub landlord put his snorkelling skills to test when his cellar flooded after heavy rainfall.

Wayne Norman, who has run the Bell pub in Kynaston Road, Panfield, since June 16, had to call the fire brigade to bail out several inches of filthy water after a bilge pump failed on Saturday July 12.

Heavy showers disrupted a party in the pub garden and quickly flooded the basement on their busiest night of the week but Mr Norman said everyone made light of the crisis.

He said: “The heavens opened and when we went downstairs there were barrells floating around in the cellar.

“I decided to put my flippers and snorkel on to make light of it.”

Fire crews helped drain the last of the water on Sunday morning and no lasting damage was done.