River Aire: Residents evacuated as homes submerged after river bursts banks

Residents are being evacuated from homes in East Yorkshire which have been submerged in water after the River Aire burst its banks.

Humberside Police said on Tuesday that, after the river burst its bank at Snaith, that "homes are now being evacuated".

It urged residents to avoid the area and said the A1041 north of Snaith is closed in both directions.

An earlier statement said: "We are in attendance to a river that has burst its banks on Main Road, Snaith, near to Selby Road.

"Officers, as well as other emergency services are aware, and road closures in the area will have to be made."

East Riding Council wrote: "Because of flooding, motorists are being asked to avoid the A1041 Selby road north of Snaith in both directions.

"The road south of the River Aire bridge is currently closed to traffic."

Lucy Sheridan, 40, from Carlton, North Yorkshire, said the river level at Snaith was as high as she had seen it.

She said the road into the town had been closed, a number of businesses were flooded and the local primary school had been closed as a precaution.

Classic cars from a garage located close to the River Aire had been moved on to Carlton Bridge in an attempt to avoid flood damage but other vehicles were submerged in the water.

Mrs Sheridan said: “The river has come over the top of the flood defences on the Snaith side so there is nowhere for the water to go and the river itself is flowing quite fast.”

She added: “There’s a beauty salon, a hand car wash and a car sales garage, which are all under water up to their windows but they’ve moved the classic cars on to the bridge.”

Social media users posted footage of water pouring over flood banks in the Snaith/Gowdall area into surrounding wash lands.

The lower River Aire has been causing concern since the weekend with a handful of homes reported to be flooded in nearby Hirst Courtney, on the opposite side to Snaith.

The area has been hit with floods after Storm Dennis and Ciara saw huge downpours, causing flood defences to collaspe.

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