The Ford at Rufford has been a convenient through-route for familiar locals heading from the A614 into Wellow, but for unsuspecting motorists, it's become a vehicle wrecking hotspot.

So much so that the AA has listed Rufford Mill Ford in Nottinghamshire as the "number one flood-related accident hotspot" in the UK - much to the delight of YouTubers who have attracted millions of viewers with videos labeled "Rufford Ford's biggest fails".

But from Friday 2nd December 2022, Rufford Ford will close to all vehicles to "ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians" until further notice.

The closure follows a sharp rise in people visiting the area from across the country, with some online videos showing hundreds of people lining the road. One local, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Bowe Radio that some spectators would encourage drivers to proceed through water, even when it was too deep.

In October, a video also went viral online showing a motorcyclist being violently thrown from their bike after hitting the water at speed.

Nottinghamshire County Council says the road closure is in response to an increase in incidents in the area and that it will remain closed until a longer-term solution is developed.

Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “There is already a significant amount of road safety signage around the ford which has been in place for some time to keep all road users safe, however due to the increase in incidents at Rufford Ford, we feel that the safest solution is to put a temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in place while longer-term solutions can be developed further.

“The closure has been put in place with immediate effect and will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable future.”