Entire town on brink of disaster: Police tell families to 'get out ASAP' in mass evacuation of 6,500 people as crumbling dam - holding 300million gallons of water - looks set to BURST at any minute after floods (66 Pics)
A picturesque Peak District market town was today on the verge of being wiped out as police urged up to 6,500 people to immediately evacuate before a dam with 300million gallons of water crumbles after five days of rain.
Officers went door-to-door around homes in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, as residents fled the area in case the 1.3million tonnes of water contained in the huge Georgian-era Toddbrook Reservoir starts to escape.
A wall around the reservoir has been damaged and a huge hole appeared in it, as deluged communities across the North of England faced yet more flooding today with another fortnight's worth of rain set to fall in three hours.
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.
Police urged residents from the picturesque market town to ensure they took any pets and medication 'for a number of days', and asked people to 'make alternative arrangements to stay with friends and family'.
The force said the evacuation was 'not a decision that has been taken lightly', adding: 'We appreciate that there is significant impact on this community, however, this is an unprecedented, fast-moving, emergency situation.'
The scene at the Toddbrook Reservoir dam above the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire where flooding has burst the dam
Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir today near the village of Whaley Bridge after it was damaged in heavy rainfall
A whole host of emergency services were pictured this evening as they tried to battle the damage and keep residents safe from harm
Evacuees were told to gather at a school three miles away in Chapel-en-le-Frith amid concers over the reservoir today
This graphic shows where the town of Whaley Bridge is in relation to the reservoir and the dam wall which has a hole in it
Officers said people with nowhere to go will be accommodated, but 'there is limited capacity to do so'. They added: 'If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance please contact 101 and ask for the police.'
Network Rail confirmed Northern trains between Hazel Grove and Buxton had been stopped in both directions until at least 7pm and will only run again when emergency services confirm it is safe for them to do so.
Residents in the area had been given an 'Appendix B - Evacuation Card' which explained the major incident in the area.
It read: 'There is a concern that you and your property are at risk from Toddbrook Reservoir, EVACUATE YOUR PROPERTY NOW.'
It then goes on to give a list of instruction of what people in the area need to do, however the paper was dated April 2018.
Footage taken from a Sky News helicopter showed the water (right) flowing though the village as boats can be seen piled up in one back garden
The water of the dam can be seen gushing through Whaley Bridge as rescue workers stand at the top and observe the damage - hoping to process the next steps
As the evening went on, emergency services continued to battle to repair the damage done and were seen in a red rescue boat
The letter given to residents in the area explaining that they are at risk from the nearby reservoir and that they need to evacuate
Residents have now become overwhelmed with the situation, with some worried that they won't be able to get out.
Retired reporter Steve Cliffe, 66, said neighbours in the hamlet of Fernilee were flooded and cut off.
'The problem is we just can't get out,' he said.
'Fernilee is about 1.5 miles outside Whaley Bridge, up the hill. What seems to have happened is that during the real cloud bust, water has come down the main road up above us, and has been siphoned down this lane.
'It's never had that quantity come down it before.
'It has ripped up the road surface and bedrock underneath, and now there's rocks and debris deposited all over the place.'
But Andrew Mclackland, 46, who has lived in Whaley Bridge for nine years, is among those refusing to leave. He told the Manchester Evening News: 'Well, I think it's health and safety gone mad. It's a big fuss about nothing.'
This afternoon a team of men could be seen observing the damage in the area after it was damaged after rainfall in Derbyshire
Police have been going door to door in the area telling people to leave their homes and businesses and gather at a local school for evacuation. Pictured above the reservoir with properties infront
One emergency services worker can be seen with his hands on his head after battling to repair the damage. A police van and JCB digger were also picture on the scene
Damage caused to Toddbrook Reservoir, pictured earlier today, which has led to the town of Whaley Bridge being evacuated
Anna Aspinall, 36, from Whaley Bridge, said she and others had been called to help place sandbags in the area around the dam, but were sent away after structural engineers advised 'that the wall is at high risk of failing'.
'We have had significant rainfall over the past few days resulting in the overflow of the reservoir, which is very rarely breached, being completely flooded over,' she said.
'The result is that the overflow this morning has undermining damage and there is a big risk of the village being flooded out. Residents are currently being evacuated along with businesses.
'We are praying (the dam wall) holds whilst the Canal and River Trust try to drain the water from the reservoir. I live at the top of a hill but am very involved in community life, so want to help where I can.'
Chapel-en-le-Frith High School was being hastily converted into a reception centre for hundreds of residents from Whaley Bridge and a command centre for the police operation as the mass evacuation got under way.
Squads of police officers arrived, with dozens of police Land Rovers and vans arriving and leaving the car park and officers checking equipment in the boots of their vehicles, as locals began to appear with suitcases heading for a sports centre hall where they will spend the night if friends or family cannot house them.
Paul Nash and Janet Williams, a couple from Whaley Bridge, had just arrived at the centre after being told to evacuate at around 1pm.
Workers in the area have been forced to use a JCB to attempt to move water at the edge of Toddbrook Reservoir into the Todd Brook
People look at the reservoir in Derbyshire today as deluged communities across the North of England face yet more flooding
A resident of the village of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire is advised to evacuate his home this afternoon
Workers including the fire service use a JCB digger today to attempt to move water at the edge of Toddbrook Reservoir into the Todd Brook which runs alongside the reservoir and past the overflow drain that is damaged
Evacuees leave Whaley Bridge this afternoon after the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir threatens to break in the severe weather
The close proximity of homes to the Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire can be seen in this photograph taken today
A policeman blocks the road leading to Toddbrook Reservoir near the village of Whaley Bridge this afternoon
Mr Nash said: 'The River Goyt is actually behind us, normally it's 20ft down from our back garden but last night it raised up to nearly 3ft from coming over.
'We went to work as normal, then we found out we needed to evacuate so we've been back home, got the cat, got what we needed to and that's as far as we know at the moment. Bit surprised to be honest, never thought it would happen.
'Not sure whether this dam is going to go or not, it's a bit concerning. At the moment there's no updates really, no-one knows anything, so we are in the dark really, we've not been told we can go back.
'If the whole dam goes, it's going to cause absolute chaos. Probably the village will go, because it goes straight through. The River Goyt goes straight through the village centre.
'They've not said when we can go back, we have got to stay away. Everything is in the house we've worked for, worked hard for, some things can't ever be replaced.
'Obviously the experts are telling us it might go, there's still a chance it might not. No-one knows when we can go back.
'We've come down here to check in because they've told us if we check in, there's no chance of them coming to knock the door down to check we are not still there.'
Derbyshire Police said it was unclear how long the evacuation of Whaley Bridge would last. The force tweeted: 'Please make alternate arrangements to stay with friends/family, ensure that pets and medication that may be needed for a number of days are taken.
Police have told the town's 6,500 residents to gather at a local school today following the damage to the dam in Derbyshire
Workers use a JCB digger in their efforts to protect Whaley Bridge which has been evacuated this afternoon
Emergency services in the village of Whaley Bridge today after the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged
Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir near the village of Whaley Bridge today as the area was evacuated by police
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had a 'large number ' of vehicles at Toddbrook Reservoir today
Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir today near the village of Whaley Bridge after it was damaged in heavy rainfall
The Toddbrook Reservoir dam, above Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, was damaged following heavy rains in the area today
'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.'
The Environment Agency has issued a severe flood warning, suggesting a danger to life, covering the River Goyt at Whaley Bridge. It states that the river could 'rise rapidly' due to water rushing in from the reservoir.
As a helicopter hovered above the village, police were going door to door in Whaley Bridge to get everyone out. Going the other way were teams of council workers and mountain rescue vehicles heading into the village.
Dragging a suitcase up the deserted high street, local David Holt said: 'Police are knocking on, evacuating everyone within risk of that dam wall breaking. If it's going to go, it's going to go straight through the village.
'Police are asking you to gather some belongings, leave your house in a secure condition and go to a local school. We've taken an elderly neighbour to a friend's house and are heading to the school now.'
Author Hanna Sillitoe lives in Buxworth, downstream from Whaley Bridge, in a hamlet called Waterside. She has not been evacuated yet. She said: 'The river had massively come up yesterday, almost to the house.
'But it had receded again this morning, so we thought the rains had calmed and everything had got better. But then there were fish in the garden and a lot of damage - the fences were down, trees were down, they'd been dragged down by the river.
'The river is still flowing at a fast pace but nowhere near what it was like yesterday. The worry is if that dam goes it feeds the river, which is not built to take that level of water. So, I am moving all the important stuff upstairs.'
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had a 'large number' of vehicles at Toddbrook Reservoir as efforts continued to prevent the dam from bursting.
Matt Forrest, lives just six feet uphill from the reservoir and has watched the chaos unfold in his home town.
The designer said: 'We live about six feet up from the reservoir so we have managed to dodge being evacuated but only just. The rest of the entire town has had to leave. I've never seen anything like it, it's the worst flooding in living memory in the village.'
Trauma nurse Philomena Smith, 53, lives on a road above the reservoir. She said: 'Many Whaley Bridge residents who were on the bridge yesterday looking over the dam said they have lived here all their lives and never seen anything like this.
'If the dam overflows it will join the River Goyt and be a disaster. Even last night many houses had started to place sandbags up against their doors.
'Today the bridge is now closed and the concrete has broken away - the whole village has been evacuated and Whaley Bridge is completely closed off due to the high risk of the dam collapsing. My husband is working in Buxton but may not be able to get home tonight.'
A nearby tourist attraction to Whaley Bridge is the Ladybower Reservoir and the rarely seen abandoned village of Derwent which was flooded in the 1940s to make way for the site.
Severe flooding in South Yorkshire in 2007 sparked the evacuation of roughly 700 people around Ulley Reservoir, near Rotherham, over fears its walls could burst due to unprecedented rain and apparent 'areas of weakness'.
Yesterday, 11 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'.
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.
Local authorities fear the huge Toddbrook Reservoir containing around 1.3million tonnes of water could start to escape
Officers said people being evacuated with nowhere to go will be accommodated, but 'there is limited capacity to do so'
Flooding has hit the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire as it was evacuated today due to the threat of the reservoir
Police urged residents from the picturesque market town to ensure they took any pets and medication 'for a number of days'
A wall around Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire has been damaged today and images show a huge hole in the dam wall
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.
Michael Bragan washes away the silt from his garden as the clean-up begins today after heavy rain in Reeth, North Yorkshire
Gas engineers at work on a collapsed bridge in Poynton, Cheshire, today after a major incident was declared
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
Workers hoover a front room today as the clear-up begins following heavy rainfall in Reeth, North Yorkshire
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.'
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'.
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
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 4x4 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
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.
