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Doncaster flood victims describe being rescued from homes as water filled their street 'like a shadow'

Fire and Rescue service members rescue residents trapped by floodwater in Doncaster, Yorkshire, as parts of England endured a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, with scores of people rescued or forced to evacuate their homes, others stranded overnight in a shopping centre, and travel plans thrown into chaos. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday November 8, 2019. See PA story WEATHER Rain. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Residents on Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster were rescued from their homes by boats on Friday after torrential rain and flooding swept through the north of England.

Residents in communities across northern England have been subjected to the extreme weather that has struck over the last 24 hours.

Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.

People have been forced from their homes, while shoppers in Sheffield sought sanctuary in a shopping centre overnight and travel routes remain majorly disrupted.

Yarborough Terrace resident Jason Richards, 44, described how water slowly trickled along “like a shadow” before eventually filling the street.

Fire and Rescue service members pull an inflatable boat that has been used to rescue residents trapped by floodwater in in Doncaster, Yorkshire, as parts of England endured a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, with scores of people rescued or forced to evacuate their homes, others stranded overnight in a shopping centre, and travel plans thrown into chaos.

He said: “I swept it up with the broom at first, but every time I brushed it away more water just kept on coming back,” he said.

“You often hear people say that the water piles up really quickly, but here it was more like a shadow, slowly making its way down the road.”

Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.

One woman, who has lived in her home on the street for more than 20 years, said: “I’ve never known it to be this bad.”

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said they rescued more than 100 stranded people on Thursday night, with around 500 calls to its control room between 10pm and 4am.

A dog is carried to safety on Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster, Yorkshire, as parts of England endured a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, with scores of people rescued or forced to evacuate their homes, others stranded overnight in a shopping centre, and travel plans thrown into chaos.
A dog is carried to safety on Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster, Yorkshire, as parts of England endured a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, with scores of people rescued or forced to evacuate their homes, others stranded overnight in a shopping centre, and travel plans thrown into chaos.

Shopper Saskia Hazelwood, 17, from Doncaster, told PA she and her friends “instantly started panicking” when they saw there was no way of getting home.

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She said: “At the start we thought it would be fun, a nice sleepover, something to certainly remember, but after 14 hours of being stranded in Meadowhall we just couldn’t wait to get home, get into our own beds, feel safe again, and catch up on sleep.”

Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.

Meanwhile, in Matlock, Derbyshire, 25-year-old Beth Windle shared images of ducks sat on the arms of submerged benches and swimming up to nibble at bushes now within their reach at her local park.

“The flooding is the most severe that I’ve known it, in my 25 years living here,” the illustrator told the PA news agency.

Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.

“The ducks were probably very happy now that they’ve gained a new height advantage.”

In a later tweet she posted: “Update on the ducks…it’s their home now.”

Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Fire and Rescue service members rescue residents trapped by floodwater in Doncaster, Yorkshire, as parts of England endured a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, with scores of people rescued or forced to evacuate their homes, others stranded overnight in a shopping centre, and travel plans thrown into chaos. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday November 8, 2019. See PA story WEATHER Rain. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

In Lincoln, Chelsea Foster said she was “shocked” to see swans swim up to the wall at the bottom of her garden from an overflowing River Witham.

“I didn’t realise how high the water actually was until I went out and there was a group of them right next to my wall, they were that close I could touch them,” the 23-year-old told PA.

Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.
Homes are submerged by rising flood water, Yarborough Terrace, Doncaster, November 08 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood.

“Outside my wall we had a little island area where we could sit and feed the ducks, now you can’t even see it.”

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