Rescue teams sent to floods

Volunteers from Edale Mountain Rescue Teams were called to Littleborough in Greater Manchester on Boxing Day and then to Salford to check on vulnerable members of the public as well as evacuate people from their homes as flood waters rose.

Parts of Salford, Leeds and York are under several feet of water and nine severe flood warnings, meaning life in danger, are currently in force in the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, Leeds and York,

A further 113 flood warnings and 98 flood alerts having been issued by the Environment Agency.

Edale Mountain Rescue team spent more than 20 hours non-stop through the night helping rescue teams from the area, from mid-morning on December 26 to 4.30am the following day.

A spokesman for the team said: “As we were completing in Salford and getting ready to head home, the region received a further request to respond immediately to an on-going developing flood incident in the city of York.

“Both team land rovers with all seven team members responded immediately from Salford, along with a team vehicle from Derby Mountain Rescue team. We arrived in York at midnight and quickly became involved in a major police and mountain rescue team incident.

“Once again we were tasked to various incidents checking on the welfare of vulnerable members of the public and families, where necessary evacuating to rest centres. The team worked throughout the night in varying severities of flood water levels.

“Members left for home, thinking about the devastating scenes they had witnessed over the last 20 hours or so. Most arrived home by 7.30am for a shower and some well-earned rest.”

Eight members of Buxton Mountain Rescue also aided flood rescue efforts.

The team was also called out to Salford as the River Irwell broke its banks.

A spokesman for Buxton MRT said: “Buxton members with two team vehicles joined with members from all the other Peak teams when called to assist in a coordinated multi-agency action to help evacuate people at risk in the areas threatened by the rising waters.

“Team members assisted the police, fire and other agencies until it was declared that the water level was falling and life was no-longer in danger.”