A man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving after a tractor was driven through a flooded high street in Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire, causing damage to properties.
West Mercia police said the 57-year-old man had been arrested and released on bail while inquiries continued.
Insp Dave Wise, who leads the safer neighbourhood team in Tenbury Wells, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who brought this incident to our attention, and to the local community for their cooperation and support yesterday while we carried our initial inquiries.
“I understand the upset and anger that the incident caused, and I hope that the arrest we made yesterday evening offers reassurance that we are actively investigating it.
“Officers will continue to be out and about in Tenbury in the coming days to assist the local community and our partner agencies with recovery efforts following the flooding.”
A video posted on social media showed someone driving a green tractor down a flooded street in the market town, creating waves of water that crashed into shops and businesses lining the street.
Business owners reported doors being pushed open and windows being smashed or knocked out by the force of the wave, causing more flood water to enter properties.
The centre of Tenbury Wells was hit by severe flooding during Storm Bert over the weekend. This was worsened when a wall holding back the Kyre Brook collapsed, sending several feet of water into the high street.
Many business owners said they had only just got back on their feet after flooding in October, and said the collapsed wall and the impact of the tractor had caused “devastation” to many businesses.
