A police chief overseeing the Whaley Bridge dam crisis has blasted residents who were briefly allowed back into the town but remained and put her officers at risk as they try to hunt them down.
Evacuees from the Derbyshire town were this morning warned it would not be safe for them to return home to get essential items such as medicine and pets.
But during 15-minute intervals on Friday and Saturday some of the residents were allowed into the town and ignored pleas by the police – which labelled the situation ‘critical’ with a breach still a ‘very real threat’.
In a forceful condemnation of the culprits, Deputy Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary Rachel Swann, said: ‘These people are putting the lives of officers at risk as further checks have to now be completed to ensure those residents are out of the area safely.
‘The officers carrying out these checks are mothers, fathers, partners and friends.’
She added: ‘I want my officers to be able to return to their families at the end of their shifts – not be put in harm’s way.’
A picture taken on Sunday morning shows the progress the RAF Chinook made in dumping one-tonne sandbags on the stricken dam in a bid to stop it from bursting as engineers assess the structure. The evacuees of Whaley Bridge have been warned it is not safe for them to return home today to collect essential items
In a forceful condemnation of the culprits, Deputy Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary Rachel Swann (pictured), said: ‘These people are putting the lives of officers at risk as further checks have to now be completed to ensure those residents are out of the area safely’
Soldiers carrying rolls of damp proof membrane are seen crossing the reservoir. Watermarks on the rocks show the amount of water that has been pumped away since yesterday
Deputy Chief Constable Swann added: ‘The officers carrying out these checks are mothers, fathers, partners and friends. I want my officers to be able to return to their families at the end of their shifts – not be put in harm’s way.’ Pictured: Whaley Bridge today
Dozens more houses were emptied from Whaley Bridge overnight as soldiers, police and engineers continue their desperate efforts to stop the reservoir’s wall giving way.
The threat to life led authorities to clear 55 properties in the Horwich End area – on top of around 1,500 residents who had already been uprooted since Thursday.
Deputy Chief Constable Swann said the water level in the reservoir has now been reduced by just over three metres – of its eight metre depth – and pumps are removing it at a rate of around 10cm an hour.
She said once it has been lowered far enough for engineers to see the damage to the wall, a decision will be made on whether residents and businesses can return to the town.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Gavin Tomlinson of Derbyshire Fire and Rescue said crews were working to get ‘ahead of the curve and remove as much water as possible’ in order to ‘minimise the impact of any bad weather that does materialise’.
Speaking about the prospect of the evacuated people moving back in, he told BBC Breakfast: ‘At the rate we are pumping, we are hoping certainly towards the end of the week to be in a position to be able to do that.’
Engineers and members of the emergency services work to pump water from Toddbrook Reservoir, the spillway of which suffered severe damage following a period of heavy rainfall last week
Firefighters carry water pumping equipment near the bank of reservoir as they work to sure up the dam before bad weather hits on Sunday. Dozens more houses have been emptied in the Derbyshire town as soldiers, police and engineers continue their desperate efforts to stop the reservoir’s wall giving way
Dozens more homes have been evacuated in Whaley Bridge (pictured today) ahead of expected bad weather on Sunday, as emergency workers continue their efforts to prevent the dam giving way
Engineers and members of the emergency services work to pump water from Toddbrook Reservoir and have reduced the capacity of the reservoir by 35 per cent, fire services say
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service officers (pictured at 4.30am) worked through the night pumping water at Whaley Bridge as they worked to lower the water level in the dam
Yet engineers fear if the dam bursts it would flow through the valley ‘like a bullet from a gun’, destroying homes in the town.
They anticipate Whaley Bridge would be ‘gone in 30 seconds’, while nearby New Mills ‘would be gone in two minutes’.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Tomlinson said around 35 per cent of the water held in the reservoir had been pumped out.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Gavin Tomlinson of Derbyshire Fire and Rescue said around 35 per cent of the water held in the reservoir had been pumped out (pictured)
The Met Office warned there could be damage and disruption from floodwater and lightning strikes on Sunday (pictured, the yellow weather warning for Sunday)
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Tomlinson said crews (pictured, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue) were working to get ‘ahead of the curve and remove as much water as possible’ in order to ‘minimise the impact of any bad weather that does materialise’
Mr Tomlinson said: ‘A total of 22 pumps have been working through the night and we have been successful in taking about 35 per cent of the water held in the reservoir (pictured) out’
He said: ‘Crews have been faced with a massive challenge to pump water from the reservoir and this work continues.’
He added: ‘A total of 22 pumps have been working through the night and we have been successful in taking about 35 per cent of the water held in the reservoir out.’
But the fireman did not say what level is safe.
The volume could also be set to change as forecasters warned of up to 40mm of rain to fall in just an hour on Sunday afternoon.
A Met Office yellow weather warning is in place for much of northern England and the Midlands, including the area around the reservoir.
Meteorologist Mark Wilson said: ‘There is the potential for some thundery showers which could give some very unwelcome rain (in that area).
‘There is the potential for 30-40mm in just one to two hours.’
Police said evacuations on Saturday night were due to ‘a potential increase in risk of adverse weather in coming days and the ongoing risk of the Toddbrook Reservoir breaching’.
Residents moved on Thursday told how they grabbed medication and beloved pets when they were allowed to briefly return home on Saturday, having been warned by police they did so at their own risk.
Reminding them they should only return for essential items, Chief Superintendent Michelle Shooter said: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to remind local residents that the state of the dam is still in a critical condition and that the risk of breach is still a very real threat.’
Joan Pass, 78, was in tears after she went back for the first time since the mass evacuation of the town, yesterday describing it as ‘terrible’.
She said she thought there had been an explosion when first told to evacuate.
Mrs Pass said: ‘The bells were ringing – I didn’t know what the bells were ringing for. My daughter said get out, get your passport and your medication.
‘I thought it was a bomb.’
Ben Pudsey and Andrew McNair, from Animal Search UK, said they had rescued a cockatiel called Joey from one of the evacuated houses, where he had escaped from his cage and was flying around the living room.
Tracey Coleman said she, her 18-year-old daughter Anna and the rest of the family left on Thursday with their two dogs, a cat, a tortoise and the neighbour’s dog and went to her mother’s house nearby.
Evacuated residents from Whaley Bridge have burst into tears (pictured yesterday) as they briefly returned home to collect their valuables and pets
Peter Scragg (pictured) rescues a suitcase motorbike from the School Garage after police let residents collect items in 15-minute intervals yesterday
Where Whaley Bridge is in relation to the reservoir and the dam wall which has a hole in it, and the flow of the water
Those evacuated from their homes were allowed to return briefly on Friday evening to pick up any vital items or pets. Pictured: Anna Coleman, 18, with her tortoise Nelly and dog Henry
Val Fallon, 74, has been staying with her daughter in nearby Macclesfield and returned to her house to collect clothes and shoes.
She has lived in the village for 22 years and owns an antique shop next to her house.
She moved without any clothes in a rush and her beloved Jack Russell had not eaten anything since the move.
Ms Fallon said: ‘I would lose my shop and my house if it bursts. I’d lose everything. There is no point moving anything from the shop, I haven’t got enough time.
Val Fallon (pictured yesterday), 74, is staying with her daughter in nearby Macclesfield and returned to her house to collect clothes and shoes
Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised on Friday the damaged reservoir would have a ‘major rebuild’ as he met locals (two women pictured retrieving the post today) at nearby Chapel-en-le-Frith High School, which is being used as an evacuation centre
Shannon Bennett and Jake Mason move items from their home in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, on Saturday and are seen packing their car
How was Toddbrook Reservoir dam built?: Cross section reveals how structure’s clay and concrete hold back 300m tones of water
The large earth dam has a clay core which is made of the same substance used in canals – with it supposed to stop water from flowing through it.
Surrounding the core there is compact soil, which holds the dam together and increased the dams strength over time as it is further condensed.
On the other side of the dam to the water, there are concrete spillways to channel away excess water as the reservoir overflows.
It works in a similar way to a overflow drain in a bath.
A graphic shows the structure of the Toddbrook dam in Whaley Bridge
The reservoir reached bursting point on Thursday after heavy rainfall caused its water levels to rise and tip over the emergency spillway.
This chipped away at the structure and partly eroded it.
Yet Chairman of the British Dam Society Alan Warren has said the reason for this remains unclear.
He told the BBC: ‘We don’t know whether the concrete was inadequate or whether there was some problem underneath those concrete slabs which means the slabs fell into a void that had been forming underneath.
‘Maybe the joints in the slabs weren’t properly sealed, and water was getting in through the joints.’
Other experts have speculated from pictures of the dam that the over-spilling water had eroded the soil under the concrete, but the clay below it had not been compromised.
‘They get you so panicked, you can’t think of all the things you’d need to take. I just dropped everything and fled when they evacuated the village. It was such a rush.
‘I am living out of my daughter’s rag bag, I didn’t have any clothes with me when I evacuated. I thought it was only going to be an overnight thing, but it is on its third day already and they have no idea how long we might have to stay away for.
‘It’s my dog I feel sorry for. He hasn’t eaten anything, he’s not a happy chap. He’s so out of kilter with all the upheaval and stress.’
James Barrington has gone to stay with his parents in nearby Wilmslow, Cheshire, after being evacuated.
He had returned to his house in Whaley Bridge to get the last of his possessions.
Residents were bringing cups of tea and sandwiches to officers, some of whom were working 20 hour shifts.
One officer said: ‘People’s support has been fantastic. I’ve had homemade sausage sandwiches and cakes brought out to me.
‘People have been brilliant. It really shows the community spirit in this area.
‘Total strangers have offered their spare beds to people who have been evacuated.’
Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the area on Friday and promised the damaged reservoir would have a ‘major rebuild’ as he met locals at nearby Chapel-en-le-Frith High School.
Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, who visited the area on Saturday, paid tribute to the ‘patience and fortitude’ of residents and thanked all those working to repair the dam.
And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted this morning that ‘the situation is very concerning and our solidarity goes out to the residents’.
An RAF Chinook has dropped more than 400 one-tonne sandbags, and around 150 firefighters have been using high-volume pumps to remove excess water from the reservoir.
Residents are expected to be updated on the situation at a meeting on Sunday evening.
The reservoir is on the north-west edge of the Peak District National Park and was built in 1831, according to experts, although the Environment Agency records it as being built in 1840-41.
Does this picture of a ‘neglected’ dam prove it was a disaster waiting to happen? Footage shows weeds and a tree growing between the concrete panels of Whaley Bridge three years ago
Footage showing plants growing between the concrete panels of the Toddbrook Reservoir dam spillway three years ago have raised questions over its maintenance since then.
The spillway is designed to deal with any water which comes over the top of the dam and channel it safely away.
One engineering expert voiced concern over possible harm to the structure.
Dr Mohammad Heidarzadeh, an assistant professor at Brunel University, said the vegetation on the 2016 video taken from a drone indicated likely gaps between the panels where water could have swept in, making the damage worse.
‘That could be the whole problem right there,’ he said.
Picture shows plants growing between the concrete panels of the Toddbrook Reservoir dam spillway three years ago
‘The spillway needs to be kept sealed and clear of these kind of weeds and plants.’
However another expert, Professor Tim Broyd, former president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, doubted whether the spillway’s failure matched the area where the weeds were most prevalent.
Asked whether the images suggested good maintenance, he said: ‘I’m not sure why you’d want a small tree on the spillway.’
A spokesperson for the Canal and River Trust (CRT), which maintains the dam, said the reservoir was inspected and maintained by independent engineers.
‘This includes regular detailed ten yearly inspections carried out by an independent panel engineer and CRT supervising engineer.
‘The last one was undertaken in November 2018 and signed off by the independent panel engineer and CRT supervising engineer in April.
‘Understanding historical inspections and maintenance is clearly important and will be part of our ongoing response to this event.’
A Whaley Bridge resident said it’s ‘no surprise’ part of the Toddbrook Reservoir dam collapsed – as a series of images showing the structure in disrepair emerged.
The pictures were taken in the weeks and months before last week’s devastating floods.
Hundreds of plants can be seen growing from the earth and creeping through the concrete spillway, which partially collapsed on Thursday.
The man said the vegetation must have caused structural damage to the dam, contributing to its downfall.
He said: ‘The signs have been there for years. The slats that have collapsed have had plants growing between them for a long time. Now they have collapsed and it’s no great surprise.’
He added: ‘It seems like the dam has just been left to its own devices. You wouldn’t let your gutters get into that state let alone a dam.’