The appeal -– which had an original target of £500,000 – was supported by all four councils, Yorkshire Bank, The Star, local radio stations and TV news.

Donations, made online, by phone, cheque and in cash over the counter at banks, passed £100,000 within 11 days and reached £1 million by October.

Coffers were swelled by larger payments from firms such as A&S Leisure, of Hillsborough, which gave £10,000, while Ecclesfield-based Enodis handed over £20,000.

Pauline Grice, chief executive of SY Community Foundation, said: "We have received sackfuls of letters of thanks from victims for the support given, and we would like to pass on those thanks to all who have contributed to the fund and made this possible.

"Some days there hasn't been a dry eye in the office, having read letters full of gratitude for the help given, and messages from donors which reinforce our belief that people do care.

"At the anniversary of the floods, the figure now exceeds £1,500,000, three times the original target – and we are still receiving and processing donations."

Initial handouts of £100 were given to flood victims within days, to help with immediate emergencies. The first to receive the cash was Dorothy Taylor, aged 82, of Station Road, Wombwell.

Payments were made to homes in Barnsley, Bentley, Catcliffe, Chapeltown, Hillsborough and Toll Bar.

In November, a second phase of handouts were given to 3,293 homes – 468 in Barnsley, 1,720 in Doncaster, 302 in Rotherham and 803 in Sheffield.

A total of £976,000 has been awarded to individuals and families so far, with a further £202,000 given to 29 community groups affected by the floods or which supported victims.

Ms Grice said the second wave of funding involved payments of under £1,000 to "those most in need".

Volunteers and charity workers were set to be thanked for their vital work by Floods Recovery Minister John Healey in Barnsley today on the anniversary of the devastation.

The minister was due in the town to announce plans to recognise the selfless work of those who helped flood victims on the long road to recovery.

Mr Healey will also set to meet people and groups from Barnsley who have received grants, including Stuart Bennett, treasurer of Darton Darby & Joan Club, whose building and grounds were badly hit by the floods twice in June. But its insurers only paid half the expected sum after deciding the building was underinsured.

- The fund is planning to wind down and hand out the last of its money by July. It is appealing for donations to be made as soon as possible. Email rachel@sycf.org.uk or call 0114 242 4857.

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