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| Floods threaten north of England | Floods threaten north of England |
| (7 days later) | |
| Emergency services are braced for flooding in some of the north of England's largest cities, including Leeds and Newcastle, while rivers have already breached local flood defences in the historic town of Morpeth as relentless rain pours down for a second day. | Emergency services are braced for flooding in some of the north of England's largest cities, including Leeds and Newcastle, while rivers have already breached local flood defences in the historic town of Morpeth as relentless rain pours down for a second day. |
| Forecasters warn that up to 102mm (4in) more rain could fall on top of the steady downpour that has topped September's average rainfall in many areas in 24 hours, as a low front sticks stubbornly over the Pennines. | Forecasters warn that up to 102mm (4in) more rain could fall on top of the steady downpour that has topped September's average rainfall in many areas in 24 hours, as a low front sticks stubbornly over the Pennines. |
| Parts of North Yorkshire have had 108mm (4.3in) since Sunday, compared with a usual total for the whole month of 47mm (1.9in). | Parts of North Yorkshire have had 108mm (4.3in) since Sunday, compared with a usual total for the whole month of 47mm (1.9in). |
| Houses have been evacuated in Carlisle in Cumbria and Morpeth in Northumberland, while drivers were helped from their stranded cars on the A1 Great North Road in Gateshead and Newcastle. A wall was demolished by the Tyne at Wallsend to ease the pressure of flood water. | Houses have been evacuated in Carlisle in Cumbria and Morpeth in Northumberland, while drivers were helped from their stranded cars on the A1 Great North Road in Gateshead and Newcastle. A wall was demolished by the Tyne at Wallsend to ease the pressure of flood water. |
| By mid-morning on Tuesday, the river Wansbeck in Morpeth had breached local flood defences. Northumbria police said they were working with the local authority to help people affected and a rest centre at the town hall has been set up. | By mid-morning on Tuesday, the river Wansbeck in Morpeth had breached local flood defences. Northumbria police said they were working with the local authority to help people affected and a rest centre at the town hall has been set up. |
| Officers were positioned along the river at various points to monitor the situation. Large tree trunks and debris were being swept along by the river as it continued to rise. | Officers were positioned along the river at various points to monitor the situation. Large tree trunks and debris were being swept along by the river as it continued to rise. |
| Around 90 residents from the Dawson Place area of the town were evacuated as a precaution. | Around 90 residents from the Dawson Place area of the town were evacuated as a precaution. |
| Chief Inspector Sarah Pitt said: "We are getting a number of calls about road closures and localised flooding. The situation is changing all the time. | Chief Inspector Sarah Pitt said: "We are getting a number of calls about road closures and localised flooding. The situation is changing all the time. |
| "We are working with local authorities across the force and partner agencies and monitoring local rivers and areas at risk. | "We are working with local authorities across the force and partner agencies and monitoring local rivers and areas at risk. |
| "The force is receiving a lot of calls. We will respond to all of them. Only use the 999 service in an emergency situation and please be patient. We have a lot of officers out on the ground helping keep people safe." | "The force is receiving a lot of calls. We will respond to all of them. Only use the 999 service in an emergency situation and please be patient. We have a lot of officers out on the ground helping keep people safe." |
| Embankments have been strengthened in central Leeds and the Calder valley town of Hebden Bridge is heavily sandbagged and equipped with emergency pumps, with the river perilously close to inflicting the town's third serious flood since May. | Embankments have been strengthened in central Leeds and the Calder valley town of Hebden Bridge is heavily sandbagged and equipped with emergency pumps, with the river perilously close to inflicting the town's third serious flood since May. |
| The M6 motorway was partially closed in Cumbria as lanes turned into streams and train services have been disrupted in Lancashire, with buses replacing services between Wigan and Southport and Blackburn and Clitheroe, and at Newcastle where services to Edinburgh on the east coast main line have been cancelled. | The M6 motorway was partially closed in Cumbria as lanes turned into streams and train services have been disrupted in Lancashire, with buses replacing services between Wigan and Southport and Blackburn and Clitheroe, and at Newcastle where services to Edinburgh on the east coast main line have been cancelled. |
| The Environment Agency has issued 60 flood warnings and 151 alerts and deployed emergency teams across northern England, moving debris, monitoring river levels and preparing pumping equipment to clear towns of flood water. | The Environment Agency has issued 60 flood warnings and 151 alerts and deployed emergency teams across northern England, moving debris, monitoring river levels and preparing pumping equipment to clear towns of flood water. |
| David Jordan, the agency's director of operations, said 200 homes had been flooded across England and Wales so far. He said: "Our thoughts are with those affected. Flooding has a devastating impact on property and possessions. | David Jordan, the agency's director of operations, said 200 homes had been flooded across England and Wales so far. He said: "Our thoughts are with those affected. Flooding has a devastating impact on property and possessions. |
| "Our teams have been out around the clock over the last few days to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding. We urge people to keep up to date with the weather forecast and remain prepared for flooding in their area, sign up to receive free flood warnings and stay away from dangerous flood water." | "Our teams have been out around the clock over the last few days to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding. We urge people to keep up to date with the weather forecast and remain prepared for flooding in their area, sign up to receive free flood warnings and stay away from dangerous flood water." |
| The north-west took the initial brunt of the downpour as the core of very low pressure moved north on Monday after creating havoc in south-west England and the West Midlands. Warm air from the Atlantic and an erratic pattern in the jetstream drew in a much colder front from north of Scotland, creating perfect conditions for relentless rain that is not expected to ease until Tuesday night. | The north-west took the initial brunt of the downpour as the core of very low pressure moved north on Monday after creating havoc in south-west England and the West Midlands. Warm air from the Atlantic and an erratic pattern in the jetstream drew in a much colder front from north of Scotland, creating perfect conditions for relentless rain that is not expected to ease until Tuesday night. |
| Ten residents were evacuated in dinghies by fire crews at St Helen's in Merseyside as the rain crept first across the north-west before settling over the Pennines, which drain into rivers on both sides. Twenty more homes were evacuated at Maghull on Merseyside and the fire and rescue services in north Wales said they had been kept busy overnight, rescuing stranded motorists and pumping out a flooded caravan site at Llangollen. | Ten residents were evacuated in dinghies by fire crews at St Helen's in Merseyside as the rain crept first across the north-west before settling over the Pennines, which drain into rivers on both sides. Twenty more homes were evacuated at Maghull on Merseyside and the fire and rescue services in north Wales said they had been kept busy overnight, rescuing stranded motorists and pumping out a flooded caravan site at Llangollen. |
| The service's spokesman, Paul Jenkinson, said: "When there is so much surface water around it is best not to travel unless absolutely necessary. If you are faced with floodwater, do not try to drive through it as it may be much deeper than it looks." | The service's spokesman, Paul Jenkinson, said: "When there is so much surface water around it is best not to travel unless absolutely necessary. If you are faced with floodwater, do not try to drive through it as it may be much deeper than it looks." |
| Drivers helped from cars on the A1 at Dunston in Gateshead included Rachel Sweeney who works for Tyne Tees TV. She tweeted: "My car is stuck! I'm in a van with a prisoner and two cops called Emma and Alec!" Twenty miles south, the river Wear burst its banks in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and police warned that many roads in Durham city and Darlington were affected by flooding with some impassable. | Drivers helped from cars on the A1 at Dunston in Gateshead included Rachel Sweeney who works for Tyne Tees TV. She tweeted: "My car is stuck! I'm in a van with a prisoner and two cops called Emma and Alec!" Twenty miles south, the river Wear burst its banks in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and police warned that many roads in Durham city and Darlington were affected by flooding with some impassable. |
| Conditions in Leeds, where the river Aire is close to riverside flats in the city centre, were given an unusual twist when a refrigerated lorry shed its load of milk cartons, which burst and turned the flooded road past Leeds United's Elland Road stadium white. | Conditions in Leeds, where the river Aire is close to riverside flats in the city centre, were given an unusual twist when a refrigerated lorry shed its load of milk cartons, which burst and turned the flooded road past Leeds United's Elland Road stadium white. |
| The Aire, Calder and Wharfe are being closely watched by Environment Agency teams as rainfall is expected to be heaviest over the Pennines on Tuesday afternoon, before drier conditions arrive. | The Aire, Calder and Wharfe are being closely watched by Environment Agency teams as rainfall is expected to be heaviest over the Pennines on Tuesday afternoon, before drier conditions arrive. |
| The Met Office said rainfall had exceeded 50mm (2in) in most of the affected areas on Monday afternoon with a further 25mm (1in) falling overnight. | The Met Office said rainfall had exceeded 50mm (2in) in most of the affected areas on Monday afternoon with a further 25mm (1in) falling overnight. |
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