Yahoo News Loftus couple stranded as street floods with gushing water preventing them reaching car
A couple from Loftus were left stranded when the road outside their home flooded - preventing them getting to their car.
Dam Street, in Loftus, was left with brown rain water gushing past homes, as panicked residents placed sandbags outside in case the water level rose even further. The street, normally frequented by dog walkers, was left empty, and cars were forced to perform u-turns on Thursday morning after a section of road was made inaccessible.
Pictures from Thursday morning show the extent of the flooding, and although some homeowners say they have seen a lot worse on this stretch, there are those fearing that the situation could worsen.
One stranded couple told Teesside Live they had parked their car further up the road but were unable to get to it. They said: "We've parked up there I don't know how we're going to get to the car. We'll have to come back; I've never seen anything like it. You wouldn't think it was a road."
One resident told Teesside Live: "I grew up here, I've seen it worse than this when the water was going into houses. It's been two foot higher before. It's always bad this street but there's nothing you can do about it because there's nowhere for the water to go. It's not too bad yet but if it keeps raining there'll be problems."
Residents said the road, which leads to farming properties and land, has repeatedly flooded over the years and is a popular route for walkers. One home on the submerged road was flooded up to its driveway, but owners were still able to head out on foot via a raised and fenced off path.
The flooding comes after a yellow weather warning was placed on the North-east for rain. The warning covers areas included Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar and Cleveland, Hartlepool and Darlington. Teessiders are being warned strong winds may also affect coastal locations and routes over high ground.
Flood alerts have been issued for several areas, as river levels rise on the Tees. The Government has issued alerts for potential flooding in Middlesbrough including the Marton West Beck, Newham Beck, Ormesby Beck, Middle Beck and Spencer Beck areas.
There is a flood alert in place for low-lying land in the Tees Valley, including the Teesdale Way footpath at Croft. The alert said: "Flooding is possible at riverside footpaths and low lying land and roads from 8am on September 26.
"The areas most affected will be Middleton in Teesdale and Rutherford Bridge. Further rainfall is expected throughout the day and river levels are forecast to remain high until the evening of September 26. Avoid using low lying footpaths and any bridges near local watercourses and do not attempt to walk or drive through flood water."
On the roads, delays were seen throughout the morning including at the A19 Norton Interchange and the A1046 Haverton Hill Road southbound from B1275 Hope Street to A1032 Tees Bridge approach road.
Severe delays were also reported on the A19 southbound between A689 Coal Lane in Wolviston and A66 as well as the A66 eastbound between Sandy Leas Lane and the B1272 Hartington Interchange.
The heavy rain in our region follows other parts of the country which were previously hit by flooding. Floodwaters surged across vast areas of southern England following days of near-record rainfall, drenching millions and disrupting the tail end of summer.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "Following heavy rainfall in Loftus yesterday, the main drainage channel became overwhelmed, and water flooded the road and Dam Street. Thankfully, river levels weren’t high, as the combination of high surface water and high river levels can cause properties to flood.
"Our teams have been working round the clock monitoring river levels and have been in the local area clearing debris screens to reduce the risk of flooding. With the wet weather set to continue, despite our efforts we cannot prevent all flooding. It’s vital everyone knows how to prepare to keep loved ones, property, and possessions safe. Go to the Gov.uk website to sign up for Environment Agency flood warnings, receive information on the risk in your area and know what to do in a flood: https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk."
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