Emergency services evacuate holiday park between Corby and Stamford due to flooding risk

Residents of Yarwell Mill have been and are continuing to be advised to evacuate the site as a precaution to anticipated flooding.

North Northants Council opened Nassington Village Hall as a temporary assistance centre yesterday (Wednesday), which has now been moved to Oundle Library.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire’s Local Resilience Forum (LRF), which includes the police, fire, North and West Northants Councils and the Environment Agency, said: “Based on current water levels we feel it is highly probable that there will be flooding at the Yarwell Mill site.”

The LRF is continue to work together to deliver a robust, multi-agency response to the flooding across the county.

A major incident was declared on Monday (November 25) following significant rainfall throughout the weekend as a result of Storm Bert, with further rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

North Northants Council has been in regular contact with the site’s management company since the weekend in case they needed to support residents advised to evacuate with a rest centre and other provisions.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service had not had to deploy crews to any flooding-related incidents as of yesterday (Wednesday), but it is working with partners to ensure sufficient resources are in place to deal with any flooding incidents that it may be required to attend, including at Yarwell Mill.

The Fire Service is reminding people to consider the hidden dangers of flood water, and not to attempt to enter it either on foot or in a vehicle.

The Environment Agency is continuing to monitor the situation with drones carrying out aerial surveys of the River Nene as the peak moves through the catchment as well as creating capacity in the Northampton Washlands by carefully releasing flood water, helping to mitigate the risk of flooding to communities and businesses.

Road closures remain in place across the county with continued disruption to public transport.

Although drier weather is expected over the next few days, the multi-agency response continues to treat the flooding as a major incident.

Superintendent Steve Freeman, who is heading up the response to the flooding through the LRF, said: “Whilst I don’t underestimate the impact it is having on people who have been forced to evacuate their accommodation, both at Billing and at Yarwell Mill, this has been done with people’s safety in mind and I’d like to thank everyone there for their cooperation.

"I’d also like to again thank the wider community in Northamptonshire for their patience during this time.

"We are working hard as a partnership to respond to this situation and we hope to be able to move into the recovery phase of our response very soon.

“Anyone with any concerns is encouraged to contact the relevant LRF agency who will be happy to help."

These road closures remain in place in the north of the county:

Barnwell Road, Barnwell

Furness Lane, Burton Latimer

Gainsborough Road, Corby

Grendon Road, Earls Barton

Hardwater Road, Wollaston

Harrowden Lane, Finedon

Kingsthorpe Avenue, Corby (closed between Cottingham Road spur road and Collingwood Avenue due to flooding)

Lowry close roundabout, Corby

Lyveden Way, Corby

Pilton Road, Lilford

Station Road, Earls Barton (closed between Earls Barton marina and Grendon Road due to severe flooding)