Former High Sheriff of Derbyshire Annie Hall, who has been named as the woman who died after being swept away by floodwater
A woman who died after being swept away by floodwater has been named as former High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Annie Hall.
Police said Mrs Hall’s body was found in the early hours of Friday after she was swept away by water in Darley Dale, near Matlock.
Mrs Hall served as the county’s High Sheriff in 2017 and has been described as a ‘great leader’.
The revelation comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for better flood management ahead of a visit to deluged communities today.
During a visit to Leeds on Saturday, Mr Corbyn said better upstream river management and flood defences in towns were needed and called for more funding for emergency services.
‘Obviously we need much better flood management and prevention schemes,’ he said.
‘It also means properly funding our fire and rescue services and properly funding our Environment Agency to deal with this.
‘The Environment Agency has lost a fifth of its staff, the fire services have lost more than a fifth of their staff. They’re struggling to cope with this.’
The Labour leader said the UK could expect more extreme weather due to climate change.
As Mrs Hall was identified earlier today, Derbyshire Police’s Chief Constable Peter Goodman said: ‘I am shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely and tragic death of my friend, and former High Sheriff, Annie Hall.
‘Annie was a great leader in Derbyshire in both industry and on the civic front. She will be hugely missed.’
Her family also released a statement, saying: ‘It is with great sadness that we, the family of Annie Hall, report her sudden passing.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured left with Labour MP Caroline Flint during a visit to Conisborough, South Yorkshire, where he will meet residents affected by flooding
Specialist paramedics in wet suits go door to door checking on residents of the village of Fishlake, South Yorkshire today
During a visit to Leeds on Saturday, Mr Corbyn said better upstream river management and flood defences in towns were needed and called for more funding for emergency services
Parts of northern England endured a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, causing severe flooding (pictured: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visits flood hit Conisbrough)
Residents of Fishlake, South Yorkshire arrive with fresh supplies donated by local supermarkets as the village has been cut off due to heavy flooding from the River Don
Residents of Fishlake, South Yorkshire arrive with fresh supplies donated by local supermarkets as the village has been cut off due to heavy flooding from the River Don – November 9
A man pushes a shopping cart with sandbags through a flooded street in Bentley near Doncaster, November 9, 2019
The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under still rising flood water today. Yorkshire and the Midlands were among the areas worst affected by heavy downpours on Thursday and Friday
Men push a shopping cart filled with sandbags through a flooded street in Bentley near Doncaster, Britain November 9
‘We are in great shock and grieving.’
Pauline Latham, former MP for Mid Derbyshire, paid tribute to Mrs Hall in a post on Twitter.
‘My heart goes out to the family and friends of former Derbyshire High Sheriff Annie Hall who died tragically in yesterday’s floods,’ she said.
‘She was a great champion of our county and will be sorely missed.’
Mr Corbyn is due to visit flood-hit areas of South Yorkshire on Saturday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Matlock in Derbyshire on Friday.
During the visit, Mr Johnson said the widespread flooding across the UK ‘is not looking like something we need to escalate to the level of a national emergency’.
Mr Johnson said the Government will ‘certainly stand by ready to help’ after the country was hit by a deluge of water described as ‘almost biblical’ by residents in Toll Bar, near Doncaster.
Severe warnings were issued for the flood-hit North and Midlands after devastating torrents left streets waist-deep in water – but other parts of the country will delight in a ‘nice day ahead’, forecasters say.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with Labour MP Caroline Flint during a visit to Conisborough, South Yorkshire, where he met residents affected by flooding
85 year old Eileen Purnell and her dog Noodles are removed from the rear of a 4×4 after being rescued by volunteers from her flooded home in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, November 9
Farmers help emergency services rescue people from their homes. The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under still rising flood water is cut off, November 09
Travel chaos has taken over the flood-hit North and Midlands after devastating floods left streets waist-deep in water (pictured: Flooding along the River Don in the village of Fishlake, South Yorkshire this morning)
Flintshire, North Wales, 9th November 2019. Cold temperatures and snow for some areas to day with the first snow of the year for areas of Flintshire, Wales
Snow is falling in parts of Wales with some also expected to drop in south-west Scotland and Cumbria on Saturday.
Mr Petanga said most of the snowfall will be across the hills in Wales.
‘It’s falling from the sky and a little bit is settling on higher grounds,’ he said.
‘It shouldn’t accumulate too much. It’s unlikely to cause too much of an issue.’
Temperatures could get down to minus 8C in parts of Scotland on Saturday with the potential of more snow on higher grounds, he added.
Yorkshire and the Midlands were among the areas worst affected by heavy downpours on Thursday and Friday.
Sheffield in South Yorkshire received 84mm of rain over 36 hours, which is almost the average monthly rainfall for Yorkshire, Met Office weather forecaster Marco Petanga said. Gringley on the Hill in Nottinghamshire had 65mm of rain in that time.
The Environment Agency issued seven severe flood warnings on Saturday morning suggesting there is a ‘danger to life’.
The warnings are in place for the River Don at Barnby Dun, Bently, Fishlake, Kirk Bramwith, Kirk Sandall, South Bramwith and Willow Bridge caravan site.
There are also 55 warnings telling people to take immediate action in light of expected flooding, along with 88 alerts urging residents to be prepared.
Builth Wells, Powys, Wales, on the morning of November 9. Mountain sheep are seen in a wintry landscape
The Environment Agency issued seven severe flood warnings on Saturday morning suggesting there is a ‘danger to life’ (pictured: Flooding along the River Don near Fishlake, South Yorkshire – November 9)
Pictured: Heavy flooding along the River Don in the village of Fishlake, South Yorkshire – 9th November 2019
Warnings are in place for the River Don at Barnby Dun, Bently, Fishlake, Kirk Bramwith, Kirk Sandall, South Bramwith and Willow Bridge caravan site (pictured: Heavy flooding along the River Don in the village of Fishlake, South Yorkshire)
Homes are pictured submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08
The body of the woman was recovered in Darley Dale, near Matlock, at about 10.40am on Friday, Derbyshire Police said. She was reported to have been swept away by floodwater in Rowsley in the early hours.
The heavy rain forced the closure of train lines in north England on Friday with several lines still affected on Saturday.
Parts of Britain which have been battered by heavy floods are set to receive respite with dry weather and sunshine forecast.
Mr Petanga said the weather on Saturday would be ‘much improved’ for the areas which were affected by heavy downpours and floods on Friday.
Heavy flooding along the River Don in the village of Fishlake, South Yorkshire – 9th November 2019
Surrounded by beautiful autumn colours, Riber castle emerges above an early morning cloud inversion today. The mist shrouds a less serene scene below where flood water continues to cause chaos in the Derwent Valley below in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire
Parts of Britain which have been battered by heavy floods are set to receive respite with dry weather and sunshine forecast (pictured: Fishlake, South Yorkshire – November 9)
The heavy rain forced the closure of train lines in north England on Friday with several lines still affected on Saturday (pictured: Fishlake, South Yorkshire, November 9)
An elderly man is pictured being rescued from his home in Doncaster, Yorkshire, after roads turned to rivers due to heavy rain, November 8
Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Matlock, Derbyshire to view the flooding, alongside the police and ambulance services, November 8
Residents on Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster were having to be rescued from their homes by boats on November 8
Yorkshire and the Midlands were the worst affected areas by the flooding, with Doncaster particularly badly hit
Waist-high water filled the street of Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster on November 8 with a severe flood warning is in place
‘Those areas are going to escape with dry weather,’ he said.
Mr Petanga said parts of the country experienced a frosty start to the weekend with minus 7C recorded in Braemar, Scotland, on Saturday morning.
‘It’s a cold start but there will be some sunshine throughout the day and a lot of dry weather,’ he said.
‘Once the fog lifts many eastern areas will have quite a nice day today with some sunshine.’
There are two yellow rain warnings, with one in place from 11am to midnight stretching from Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, to Eastbourne and Portsmouth and another from 5am to 8pm covering Northern Ireland from Ballycastle to Newry.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to visit flood-hit areas of South Yorkshire on Saturday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Matlock in Derbyshire on Friday (pictured: Fishlake, South Yorkshire – November 9)
Rotherham train station was pictured under water as railway services across South Yorkshire are hit by the flooding and heavy rain
Northern Ireland could see up to 50mm of rain on Saturday, Mr Petanga said.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to visit flood-hit areas of South Yorkshire on Saturday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Matlock in Derbyshire on Friday.
During the visit, Mr Johnson said the widespread flooding across the UK ‘is not looking like something we need to escalate to the level of a national emergency’.
Mr Johnson said the Government will ‘certainly stand by ready to help’ after the country was hit by deluge of water described as ‘almost biblical’ by residents in Toll Bar, near Doncaster.
His visit came after the death of a woman who was reportedly swept away by floodwater as parts of the Midlands and northern England were battered by a month’s worth of rain in one day.
The Prime Minister helped the clean up operations yesterday evening at an opticians in Matlock, smiling as he mopped up water from the entrance of the shop
Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps with the clean up at an opticians as he visits Matlock, Derbyshire to view the effects of the last few days flooding , November 8
A flooded street in Matlock, Derbyshire on November 8, as parts of England endured a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours
As it got dark in the Bentley suburb of Doncaster last night, officials were still working tirelessly to rescue residents from flooded homes
Mr Johnson attended a briefing from emergency personnel including members of the East Midlands Ambulance Service and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service at Matlock Police Station as he arrived in the Midlands to see the impact of the weather.
He also met some of the police officers who had helped with the flooding. Speaking at the meeting, the Prime Minister said: ‘You must have been at it all day. Thank you very much. I remember Whaley Bridge, you did an amazing job. Absolutely fantastic. Very sad about the fatality this morning.’
He then helped mop up flood water inside a Specsavers opticians during his visit to Matlock. He told staff: ‘You’re lucky none of your stock has been damaged.’
A woman was swept away by floodwater in Rowsley, Derbyshire, in the early hours before her body was found in Darley Dale at 10.40am following what residents of South Yorkshire described as ‘almost biblical’ amounts of rain.
Aerial photographs showed devastating scenes in Doncaster, where residents were rescued from their homes as waist-high water filled the street. One local said water trickled along ‘like a shadow’ before covering the road.