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| UK flooding: Dozens spend night in Sheffield Meadowhall shopping centre | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dozens of people have spent the night in a shopping centre in Sheffield after torrential downpours flooded the city's streets. | Dozens of people have spent the night in a shopping centre in Sheffield after torrential downpours flooded the city's streets. |
| People bedded down on benches and chairs in the Meadowhall centre, while others tried throughout the night to get home in cars or taxis. | People bedded down on benches and chairs in the Meadowhall centre, while others tried throughout the night to get home in cars or taxis. |
| A major incident was declared in Sheffield as rain continued overnight. | A major incident was declared in Sheffield as rain continued overnight. |
| Elsewhere, in Rotherham firefighters rescued people by boat who were stranded in the Parkgate centre. | Elsewhere, in Rotherham firefighters rescued people by boat who were stranded in the Parkgate centre. |
| More than 100 flood warnings remain in place, mostly in the north of England, with the rain causing serious disruption to roads and rail services. | |
| Earlier on Thursday, 35 homes in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, were evacuated after a mudslide caused by torrential rain. | Earlier on Thursday, 35 homes in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, were evacuated after a mudslide caused by torrential rain. |
| 'Tired and stressed' | 'Tired and stressed' |
| In Sheffield, hundreds of people - including those attending the Christmas Live event, which was cancelled - were kept inside Meadowhall centre by police after the surrounding streets were flooded. | In Sheffield, hundreds of people - including those attending the Christmas Live event, which was cancelled - were kept inside Meadowhall centre by police after the surrounding streets were flooded. |
| The centre later reopened but many people chose to stay overnight, after being unable to get home. | The centre later reopened but many people chose to stay overnight, after being unable to get home. |
| Disney Store worker Jodie Whelan, 23, stayed at the centre, where she said staff were handing out free drinks and trying to arrange taxis. | Disney Store worker Jodie Whelan, 23, stayed at the centre, where she said staff were handing out free drinks and trying to arrange taxis. |
| She said she travelled in for her shift by bus but said getting back was "an absolute no-go". | She said she travelled in for her shift by bus but said getting back was "an absolute no-go". |
| "I'm feeling very tired," she added. "A bit fed up but trying to make the best out of an awful situation. The atmosphere is very weird but communal. | "I'm feeling very tired," she added. "A bit fed up but trying to make the best out of an awful situation. The atmosphere is very weird but communal. |
| "Some people got a bit rowdy and it was upsetting seeing some older people and people with babies or children, but thankfully we are all warm and safe." | "Some people got a bit rowdy and it was upsetting seeing some older people and people with babies or children, but thankfully we are all warm and safe." |
| Another member of staff, Luke Turner, who works at a restaurant, said he was unable to drive home after his shift so bedded down in the stockroom where he said he could use "aprons" as a pillow. | Another member of staff, Luke Turner, who works at a restaurant, said he was unable to drive home after his shift so bedded down in the stockroom where he said he could use "aprons" as a pillow. |
| "I've got options, I could have got a taxi home but that still leaves me having to get a taxi back to work tomorrow," Mr Turner, from Chesterfield, said. | |
| "I had an offer from my higher management that if I could get a hotel room for the night... but unfortunately all the hotel rooms around me are full." | "I had an offer from my higher management that if I could get a hotel room for the night... but unfortunately all the hotel rooms around me are full." |
| "There's people in suits sleeping, one guy in a Tesco uniform," he added. | "There's people in suits sleeping, one guy in a Tesco uniform," he added. |
| Meanwhile Charlotte Lowther-Fuller, 18, from Grimsby said she was unable to get to a taxi as the roads and junction were cordoned off. | Meanwhile Charlotte Lowther-Fuller, 18, from Grimsby said she was unable to get to a taxi as the roads and junction were cordoned off. |
| "It was impossible for him to get us," she said, adding: "I am feeling quite tired, drained and cold from the whole situation and just want to get home as I have college to go to in the morning." | "It was impossible for him to get us," she said, adding: "I am feeling quite tired, drained and cold from the whole situation and just want to get home as I have college to go to in the morning." |
| Sixth-form student Rosie De Roeck, 16, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, spent around nine hours in the centre with her friend before her mum managed to rescue her at shortly before 01:00 GMT. | Sixth-form student Rosie De Roeck, 16, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, spent around nine hours in the centre with her friend before her mum managed to rescue her at shortly before 01:00 GMT. |
| It was "horrible" and "quite scary", she said, adding that Primark stayed open late, with her and many others buying pyjamas after getting wet in the rain. | It was "horrible" and "quite scary", she said, adding that Primark stayed open late, with her and many others buying pyjamas after getting wet in the rain. |
| She said coffee chain Starbucks gave out free cookies and a man who was also stranded shared a box of crisps he had bought. | She said coffee chain Starbucks gave out free cookies and a man who was also stranded shared a box of crisps he had bought. |
| College student Saskia Hazelwood, 17, from Doncaster, who was stranded with three friends when trains were cancelled, said people were "stressed, tired and bored" in the centre. | College student Saskia Hazelwood, 17, from Doncaster, who was stranded with three friends when trains were cancelled, said people were "stressed, tired and bored" in the centre. |
| "My dad tried to drive but he literally couldn't get in," she said. "He tried going up all the back roads, up streets the other way, he couldn't get in." | "My dad tried to drive but he literally couldn't get in," she said. "He tried going up all the back roads, up streets the other way, he couldn't get in." |
| At shortly after midnight, Sheffield City Council declared a major incident, saying there was "some water" coming over the top of the River Don's defences, but it was not yet a breach. | At shortly after midnight, Sheffield City Council declared a major incident, saying there was "some water" coming over the top of the River Don's defences, but it was not yet a breach. |
| According to the forecast from the Environment Agency, the River Don at Doncaster is predicted to reach its highest recorded level later on Friday. | |
| Meadowhall shopping centre said it would open as normal on Friday, providing the Environment Agency lifts its flood warning as forecasted. | Meadowhall shopping centre said it would open as normal on Friday, providing the Environment Agency lifts its flood warning as forecasted. |
| "Whilst the extreme weather conditions persist, the centre remains dry and secure," it said in a statement. | "Whilst the extreme weather conditions persist, the centre remains dry and secure," it said in a statement. |
| Meanwhile, South Yorkshire Police said they were working to move "a number of people" who were stranded in the Parkgate Shopping Park in Rotherham to "a place of safety". | Meanwhile, South Yorkshire Police said they were working to move "a number of people" who were stranded in the Parkgate Shopping Park in Rotherham to "a place of safety". |
| Alex Johnson, South Yorkshire's deputy chief fire officer, told BBC Radio 5 Live that around 100 people were trapped there. | Alex Johnson, South Yorkshire's deputy chief fire officer, told BBC Radio 5 Live that around 100 people were trapped there. |
| She said additional resources had been brought in from elsewhere in the country - that included five high-volume pumps and five more boat crews. | She said additional resources had been brought in from elsewhere in the country - that included five high-volume pumps and five more boat crews. |
| Rotherham Borough Council urged residents to stay at home and not leave unless told to by emergency services. | Rotherham Borough Council urged residents to stay at home and not leave unless told to by emergency services. |
| "Roads across the region have been adversely affected and we would advise people not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary," the council said in a statement. | "Roads across the region have been adversely affected and we would advise people not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary," the council said in a statement. |
| Earlier on Thursday, South Yorkshire Police said there were "significant issues" in Doncaster, with Bentley, Toll Bar and Scawthorpe the worst affected areas. | Earlier on Thursday, South Yorkshire Police said there were "significant issues" in Doncaster, with Bentley, Toll Bar and Scawthorpe the worst affected areas. |
| The weather has also caused train services to be cancelled. | The weather has also caused train services to be cancelled. |
| Northern Rail issued a "do not travel" warning to commuters using three routes, saying flooding had closed the lines between Sheffield and Gainsborough, Sheffield and Lincoln and Hebden Bridge and Manchester Victoria. | Northern Rail issued a "do not travel" warning to commuters using three routes, saying flooding had closed the lines between Sheffield and Gainsborough, Sheffield and Lincoln and Hebden Bridge and Manchester Victoria. |
| Fears about rising river levels on the River Ryton in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, has led to a number of homes being evacuated in Central Avenue. | Fears about rising river levels on the River Ryton in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, has led to a number of homes being evacuated in Central Avenue. |