Flash floods force evacuations in Yorkshire

Homes and businesses had to be evacuated when flash floods hit parts of Yorkshire.

Humberside Fire Service received around 135 calls yesterday afternoon as heavy rain fell on Goole, East Yorkshire.

A spokesman said about 50 firefighters were sent to the town to help pump out buildings in the town.

He added: "It was over a period between 5pm and 11pm.

"It was mainly elderly people who were evacuated. One old people's home was affected.

"The residents were moved into a nearby home until the water subsided."

Goole fire station manager Dave Bristow told the BBC: "If people are concerned about flooding they should consider calling the emergency services only for life risk or where the water has caused a hazard due to contact with electrics."

In Dunnington, North Yorkshire, trees collapsed when high winds and torrential rains hit the village.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: "Numerous trees came down on Common Road, and were believed to be blocking the highways and affecting power lines.

"Firefighters went out as a cautionary measure to check it was safe."

The spokesman said crews were also sent to a house in Stepney Road, Scarborough, yesterday after a fire broke out as a result of a lightning strike.

The occupants were out of the property, but the fire caused two square metre of damage to the lounge and smoke damage elsewhere in the house.

Parts of Yorkshire received almost a month's rainfall in just 12 hours, weather experts said.

Between 6am and 6pm, Howden received 41.9mm, while Leconfield had 24mm of rain, with 22.6mm falling there over a period of just one hour.

Aisling Creevey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Average rainfall for August in north-eastern England is between 60 and 90mm."

She said more rain was expected in parts of the country today, adding: "There's an active frontal system moving across much of the UK, so there could be further heavy rain falls across eastern England.

"At the moment the areas at most risk are east Anglia, south-east England and the east Midlands. We could see up to 25mm of rain fall in some areas.

"That front will move eastwards and most of that front won't clear East Anglia until tonight."

PA