Pumping out homes and protecting GP surgery - Sheffield firefighters dealing with effects of Storm Babet

Crews from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have revealed some of the calls they have received, after Sheffield was ravaged by the effects of Storm Babet today.

Pictures earlier today showed efforts to help people in the city who had become stranded in their cars after getting stuck in flood water on Upwell Street, near Brightside.

But now details have been revealed over other incidents today.

They include:

> Fire engines were sent to Totley Brook Road, near Totley, just before 11am, because of flooding at one of the properties there. Several other properties were also affected on the same street. Firefighters from Lowedges fire station remain in attendance at the incident and are currently pumping out water.

> Tankersley firefighters were sent out to help after reports were received of flooding at Valley Medical Centre, Johnson Street, Stocksbridge, Sheffield at 10.10am. Crews requested sand bags and assisted with clearing a drain to divert the floodwater. Crews left the scene at around 12,50pm.

> A fire crew from Rivelin fire station was called out to a car stranded in flood water at 12.40pm on Rivelin Valley Road, Sheffield.

They were on the scene for 20 minutes

> Firefighters from Parkway fire station went to help after a car was stranded in flood water on Beaver Hill Road, near Woodhouse, Sheffield.

Crews waded into the water and released the woman from inside the vehicle. Crews left the scene at 12pm, nearly an hour after they had been called out.

Lauren Wainwright, practice manager at Valley Medical Centre praised the firefighters who saved the practice from the rising water, as well as a man from Metrorod, who also helped.

The practice lies in one of the lowest parts of the Stocksbridge valley, and drains in the area were unable to cope with the amount of water that was arriving. Some water got in to the building, but she said firefighters brought sandbags to stop more entering, and also pumped water away from the building.

Ms Wainwright said: “They were all fantastic, worked really well together to solve the wider issues with the drains in the surrounding streets, and also providing sandbags to divert the water from our surgery and pumping out the water from the side and front of the surgery, that had started running into a few areas of our practice.”

“If they hadn't have reacted so promptly, we would have had much bigger problems on our hands than a few wet carpets. We were very appreciative of their hard work and speedy help today,” she added.