Heavy rain and flood alerts in place after storms wreak havoc on homes and businesses
Flood warnings and alerts remain in place across parts of the UK after heavy storms wreaked havoc on homes, business and roads.
The Met Office issued an all day yellow warning of heavy rain and thunderstorms on Wednesday, covering a large swathe of England northwards from Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln.
In Gringley on the Hill in Nottinghamshire, 11.6 mm of rain fell in the hour up until 2pm on Wednesday, the Met Office said.
At High Mowthorpe in North Yorkshire, a total of 40.2mm fell in the 12 hours up until 2pm.
The army was drafted to help with damage after storms left scores of homes and businesses flooded and roads and bridges washed away.
Soldiers from 2 Yorks arrived in Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday.
One 75-year-old woman described how she almost drowned when her pub, the Red Lion Inn, in Langthwaite, Richmond, North Yorkshire was filled by 5ft high water on Tuesday night.
Rowena Hutchinson told PA on Wednesday how the flood water came gushing into the pub “like a waterfall”, leaving her under the water up to her chin.
Describing the torrential rain that ruined her home she said: “It’s completely smashed doors off, and a wall has gone.
“The speed and force of the water was unbelievable, it’s just tossed the doors all over the place.”
As of 4pm on Wednesday, the Environment Agency had issued 11 flood warnings, which advised immediate action due to expected flooding, across parts of Cheshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and Leicestershire.
A further 27 flood alerts were issued across central, north west and north east England warning residents to be prepared for possible flooding.
Rescuers reported seeing sheds and oil tanks floating down roads as “100 or more” homes in the Yorkshire Dales were deluged on Tuesday.
Fire authorities received around 115 calls to flooding incidents in Leyburn and Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales on Tuesday evening, while pictures and videos from the nearby village of Cogden Gill showed a bridge used in the 2014 Tour de France in ruins.
Organisers for the Ard Rock mountain bike event, which was due to take place in Reeth from Thursday to Sunday, said it had been cancelled.
Train passengers also faced disruption after a landslip between Carlisle and Skipton.
Speaking on Wednesday, Met Office forecaster Helen Roberts said the parts of England had been hit by “a significant amount of rainfall in one day”.
She added: “The heavy showers will continue for a good few hours yet across the northern half of the UK.”
Ms Roberts said showers are expected to ease by the end of Wednesday, leading into a dry night.
Further showers are due on Thursday but they are not expected to be as heavy, with no weather warnings currently in place.
