Up to 6,500 people were today evacuated from a Peak District town in the shadow of a dam containing 300million gallons of water that has started to crumble due to five days of torrential rain.
Derbyshire Police told the residents of Whalley Bridge to leave their homes immediately in case the huge Toddbrook Reservoir containing around 1.3million tonnes of water starts to escape.
Evacuees were told to gather at a school three miles away in Chapel-en-le-Frith or head further afield to stay with family or friends following fears over the reservoir, which was built in 1831 and drains a 43-acre catchment area.
A police spokesman said: ‘Whaley Bridge is being evacuated due to the ongoing situation at Toddbrook Reservoir. Residents are asked to make alternative arrangements to stay with friends and family, ensure that any pets are taken with them and that all medication that may be needed for a number of days is taken with them.
‘If people do not have somewhere to go then they will be accommodated, however, there is limited capacity to do so. If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance please contact 101 and ask for the police’.
Deluged communities in the North of England face yet more flooding today with another fortnight’s worth of rain set to fall in three hours, after homes were evacuated and stranded people rescued.
Eleven people were helped to safety in Poynton, Cheshire, due to ‘severe flooding’ as nearly 0.8in (20mm) of rain lashed the North West in the eight hours from midnight this morning on top of downpours earlier this week.
Later, a further 1.6in (40mm) rain is expected to fall in just three hours in parts of the North West amid a Met Office warning including an alert for the chance of ‘fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life’.
Damage caused to Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire today that has led to the town of Whalley Bridge being evacuated
Workers survey the scene today at a partially collapsed bridge in Poynton, Cheshire, after a major incident was declared
A sinkhole caused by flooding is pictured today in a garden belonging to Simon Howcroft in Poynton, Cheshire
Water is pumped rfom the A555 near Kitt’s Moss in Bramhall, Cheshire, this morning after a major incident was declared
Hazel Wainwright stands outside her house in Poynton, Cheshire, today after it was flooded following heavy rainfall
Heavy downpours will develop by this afternoon, with forecasters warning of possible further flooding to homes and businesses, train delays, difficult driving conditions, communities being cut off and power cuts.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident in Poynton amid widespread problems that began yesterday, with vehicles trapped in the town as well as several homes, a farm and a nursery being flooded.
Firefighters and Highways England staff were helping those affected, with a rest centre established at Poynton Civic Hall as police urged people not to ignore ‘road closed’ signs by driving or walking through water.
Flooding due to the continued rain also disrupted all lines on the Northern railway between Manchester Airport and Wilmslow, while a landslip between Dent and Ribblehead caused problems between Carlisle and Skipton.
The Environment Agency has issued 12 alerts of expected flooding and 22 of possible flooding across England on rivers in parts of Derbyshire, Manchester, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire.
The Met Office has issued a rain warning for the North West
Courtney Jackson witnessed the flooding in Bramhall, Stockport, last night and said it was so severe that residents had to be evacuated from homes.
‘One older lady (was) in a dressing gown crying,’ the 23-year-old said. ‘It’s such a shame as so many homes have been destroyed and the poor shop owner at Nisa has already had to refurb his shop due the last incidence of flooding at Bramhall roundabout. Luckily I was a little higher, but I couldn’t leave the house.’
In Poynton, local groundwork landscaper Adam Wainwright described the aftermath as ‘complete chaos’. He said: ‘We had flash flooding and heavy rain.
‘There have been houses where the flood has had an effect, and it has just ripped through the houses. The water has just gone through the front door and out the back.’
A bridge which partially collapsed due to the flooding in Poynton caused a nearby tree to fall into Simon Howcroft’s garden, where a sinkhole also opened up.
By the early hours, crews had finished a seven-hour stint involving rescues, salvage operations and incidents involving electrics and floodwater.
Mr Wainwright, 36, a local groundwork landscaper from Poynton, rounded up some friends and got into his digger as the flooding spread.
From about 4pm to 2am, they went to different bridges in the area and cleared away debris to try to help the water flow so people could get to their homes.
He said: ‘We were stumped by the levels of the water. We pushed the machine to its limits and the we pushed ourselves. We did what we could to try and get it flowing. At the end of the day, we are a community that comes together at a time like this.’
Mr Wainwright said the water levels at the bridge near Poynton industrial estate looked like it was about ‘two metres-plus’ high and that he and his small team went ‘as far as they could go’ to clear the debris.
He said: ‘It was tricky but, at the end of the day, we just got on with it. The thing we look at is safety. We stayed on the footpath and did not go into the river.’
Martin Ward inspects flood damage in his house today after it was flooded in Cheshire, following heavy rainfall
Flood damage to the garden belonging to Mr Howcroft in Poynton, Cheshire, is pictured today following the severe weather
Flooding in Poynton, Cheshire, today where a major incident was declared after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding
Workers look at a partially collapsed bridge today in Poynton, Cheshire, after a major incident was declared in the area
Temperatures could rise to 77F (25C) today as the rain begins to ease and the country anticipates better weather conditions
He said a bridge had collapsed near Dickens Lane and Waterloo Road the areas was ‘knee-deep in thick black sludge with a gaping hole in the road and a gas main suspended in mid-air’.
A Cheshire Fire spokesman said: ‘Please bear with us, crews and police officers are working very hard to get to those in need and the most vulnerable in our communities.’
And Cheshire Police warned drivers: ‘Please do not risk your life or vehicle through the flood water. Raised manhole covers and debris are likely to be underneath.’
Poynton Fire Station said its crews had attended more than 20 incidents, including rescuing at least 11 people from floodwater in the area during a four-hour period.
Police in nearby Wilmslow also said officers were ‘dealing with flooding’ and had evacuated affected residents, with Oakenclough Children’s Centre open as a rest centre.
Cheshire East councillor Jos Saunders said there had been ‘dreadful problems’ with the roads, some of which were ‘completely’ flooded.
She said: ‘We have got roads where the water was waist-deep, and unfortunately this is the second time in three years it has flooded.’
A sinkhole caused by flooding in a garden belonging to Simon Howcroft in Poynton, Cheshire, is pictured today
The partially collapsed bridge in Poynton today, where flooding caused a tree to fall into Simon Howcroft’s garden (right)
A fallen tree is pictured in Poynton this morning following severe weather that has hit the North West of England this week
A dog playing in flood damage in Poynton, Cheshire, today after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in the area
Stockport councillor Steve Gribbon, who is also a watch manager with the Greater Manchester Fire Service, said areas such as Stockport, Bramall and Cheadle Hulme had also been hit.
After going past the swollen River Goyt, he said: ‘I was amazed by how much has come down. It was about two metres higher than it normally is.
‘The river is not normally that wide and it was about twice the width.’
A Cheshire East Council spokesman: ‘Overnight, we have responded to more than 150 highways-related flooding calls and today we will be inspecting our roads, clearing any debris and responding to further requests for assistance.’
But the Met Office said it should be a ‘much drier picture’ across England today. Forecaster Luke Miall said only sporadic rain was likely in central and western Scotland and northern England, possibly as far south as Yorkshire.
He said: ‘There may be some showers but they’re likely to not be as frequent nor as significant as the last few days.’ South West England and parts of Wales may also see occasional showers, Mr Miall added.
There are also hopes of a return to warm conditions this weekend, especially in South East England, with temperatures of 77F (25C) tomorrow and on Saturday in London and 81F (27C) by Sunday.
Yesterday, bridges were washed away and roads became raging torrents as downpours swept across the North and hailstones likened to ‘pickled onions’ fell in monsoon-like conditions in the Yorkshire Dales.
A bike rider comes to a halt as flood water blocks a road on the A555 near Handforth in Cheshire this morning
Emergency service workers approach a property in a dinghy in the flooded area of Bramhall in Stockport today
A 4×4 attempts to breach a flooded road in Rowsley, Derbyshire, today where a flood warning has been in place overnight
Less than a week after a record-breaking heatwave, soldiers from a garrison were sent out with sandbags as the worst flash floods in a generation devastated landmarks and left at least 100 homes underwater.
Homes and businesses were flooded in Fremington, Grinton and Reeth, while in nearby Leyburn even the fire station was inundated. Bridges destroyed include one on Grinton Moor used in the 2014 Tour de France.
Emergency services dealt with 115 flood-related calls in Swaledale as a month’s rain fell in four hours on Tuesday evening.
But locals were determined to get back to normal yesterday, with farmers helping clear mud from roads, and householders and business owners trying to dry out premises.
A firefighter in Poynton, Cheshire, carrying a child through floodwater yesterday after a major incident was declared
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident in Poynton amid widespread problems with flooding yesterday
The pollen count is moderate for most of Britain (left), while there is a high UV index for parts of England and Wales (right)
Soldiers from the Second Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment were sent out from Catterick Garrison to help people in Swaledale, handing out sandbags to try to save their homes.
It follows major flooding in the past few years in Britain in the likes of Cumbria during Storm Desmond in 2015, in York from the Ouse and River Foss in the same year, and the Somerset Levels around the Parrett and Tone in 2014.
The Government has said it is providing £2.6billion to combat flooding over the next six years, delivering more than 1,000 projects to protect 300,000 homes. This is on top of £1billion by 2020 to maintain flood defences.
The weather is a stark contrast from last Thursday when Britain recorded its hottest day on record, with 101.7F (37.7C) in Cambridge, breaking the previous record of 101.3F (38.5C) set in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.
Terrifying moment grandmother realises her car is completely trapped by gushing water on remote road
This is the terrifying moment a grandmother realised her car was completely trapped by gushing flood water on a remote road.
Sue Brown, a 58-year-old council worker from Richmond, North Yorkshire, had been working in Reeth on Tuesday afternoon, and was driving home when she found herself surrounded by ‘swirling rapids’.
Thankfully Mrs Brown was saved by emergency services in the nick of time, but she has been left shaken by her ordeal.
Sue Brown’s car is stranded in the distance after she found herself trapped inside it surrounded by flood water on a remote road in Reeth
She said: ‘It had been rumbling with thunder when I arrived at my meeting at 2.30pm, and by 3.30pm it was torrential. I couldn’t believe the amount of surface water on the road already.
‘I drove very carefully back through Grinton towards the road to Richmond but when I reached Ellerton Grange, not far out of Grinton, I had to stop. There were cars in front and behind, but I could see the amount of water coming down from the hills and it was gushing onto the road.
Sue Brown, of Richmond, North Yorkshire, said she was driving home when she found herself surrounded by ‘swirling rapids’
‘Some cars went round me but I later found out their cars broke down, one that went ahead looked like it was floating. The dry stone walls had come away on the hills with the force of the water, and I could feel the rocks bashing by car.
‘It was like a waterfall of brown water. By this point it was like a bubbling rapids swirling around the car, and I couldn’t go backwards because I could feel the force of the water behind me. I rang my husband and I said he would come and get me, although I knew he wouldn’t reach me, but it was good for my morale!
‘Shortly after I saw blue lights at the end of the stretch of road, and eventually some of the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team and firefighters got close enough to give me a thumbs up to see if I was OK.’
Mrs Brown said she knew if she opened her car door she would let in more water and potentially be swept away. Finally the rescue team reached her and helped her out of the boot of the car.
She said: ‘I had to then wade through the freezing water, holding onto the back of my rescuer, and follow his steps exactly.
‘Once I was safely in a field, he left me and said he had to go and rescue a mum with two young children from a car further behind where I was.
‘The scariest part was the last walk through the field on my own with lightning flashing around me.’
She added: ‘I want to say a massive thank you to the emergency services as they were all fantastic.’
Mrs Brown, a grandmother-of-one who works for North Yorkshire County Council, has been told her car is now a write-off due to the damage from flood waters.
Thankfully Mrs Brown was saved by emergency services in the nick of time, but she has been left shaken by her ordeal
She was rescued by her husband Paul, 67, a retired plumber, and her son-in-law, James, 39, who were able to reach Sue in a 4×4 after she waded through muddy fields.
Mrs Brown, who was trapped for around 45 minutes in her car, added: ‘It was pointless panicking because what could I do, I believed I was going to get rescued at some point.
‘I could see the fire engines at the other side but I didn’t know how they were going to get to me, it was very scary.
‘I could feel the force of the water behind me, I hoped my handbrake was going to hold. I could have gone into the wall or floated into the fields below, the lightning was striking.
‘When the emergency services came they got me out of the boot of my car and then took me to the other side of the road. My husband and son-in-law drove up to where the emergency services were.’
Mrs Brown added: ‘I have been told my car is a write-off, the car was in such a state from the water rising. It came in so quickly there was no where to go. I had to leave the car, the emergency services said I had to leave the car to the mercy of the elements.
‘My insurance company haven’t quibbled and have offered me a really good price for the vehicle, which is a relief.’
Shopkeeper faces £50,000 damage clean-up bill after his store flooded three years after he was refused insurance
A shopkeeper has been left to clear up £50,000 of damage alone after his store flooded – three years after he was refused insurance.
Tapan Chotai, 40, claimed on his insurance when his Nisa Local shop in Bramhall, Cheshire, was destroyed by floods in 2016 but was later refused a policy due to the risk of it happening again.
After the store was again filled with torrents of water last night, he has been left counting the £50,000 cost of damage and destroyed stock – with shocking images showing ruined food strewn around the premises floor.
Tapan Chotai, 40, surrounded by the damage at his Nisa Local shop in Bramhall, Cheshire, this morning
Mr Chotai, who has owned the Nisa Local for nine years, said: ‘The shop flooded in 2016 and the council told us they had put a lot of work in and assured us it wouldn’t happen again, but three years later, it has.
‘Last time, we had insurance so we could claim but afterwards we were refused insurance because we’re a commercial unit, not a domestic property. Quite a few insurance companies told us the same.
‘The damage is ridiculous, I can’t explain, it’s really bad. Everything is damaged. It will take a week to just clear it all out but without help from the insurers it’s going to be even more difficult.’
Mr Chotai claimed on his insurance when his shop in Bramhall was destroyed by floods in 2016 but was later refused a policy
The shopkeeper has now been forced to rely on friends, family and neighbours to help clear the damage. He added: ‘I’ve no idea what I’m going to do.
‘I’m trying to clear up and see where we go, I’ll have to ask for help from the bank. It’s going to be a big task to get it together and get the shop up and running. It really is a mess. Everything is damaged.
‘The neighbours are trying to lend a hand but it’s all contaminated water so I don’t want them to get their hands dirty. Family and friends are helping and some of the staff are trying to help when they can.’