Wakefield Council arranges hotel accommodation for flood victims as local people left 'on edge' by Storm Christoph

Rising river levels at Stanley Ferry on Wednesday. Picture courtesy of Simon Marshall.

The local authority said it had taken precautions with heavy rainfall expected to hit the district across Wednesday and Thursday.

The council’s leader, Denise Jeffery, said that people were “on edge”, following the floods that hit Horbury and Castleford last February.

Speaking on Wednesday lunchtime, Coun Jeffery said a team of officers were stationed at Reid Park in Horbury offering help and “reassurance” to local people.

Flood warnings and alerts have been issued for large areas of Horbury Bridge, Wakefield and Stanley this morning, following days of heavy rain caused by Storm Christoph. Photo: Luke Andrew

Meanwhile, sandbags have been distributed to households in Castleford, where there are fears the River Aire may burst its banks for the first time ever.

Barnsdale Road in the town, which has been repeatedly washed out in recent years, was closed on Wednesday morning.

Andrew Balchin, the council’s chief executive, said hotel space would be provided for anyone who has been evacuated.

Public Health England is advising anyone forced out of their homes to avoid fleeing to a relative or friend, unless they are in the same Covid support bubble.

Council leader Denise Jeffery and Cabinet member Darren Byford visited residents affected by flooding in Horbury last year.

Mr Balchin said: “We’ve taken precautions since we got the forecast at the beginning of the week.

“The challenge is much different now because of Covid.

“We’ve made provision with local hotels to identify Covid safe accommodation across a number of premises, should we need to evacuate anyone.”

Mr Balchin said that separate accommodation would also be provided to any flood victims who are currently suffering from coronavirus or who are self-isolating.

The clean-up operation around Horbury Bridge after Storm Ciara in February 2020.

He added: “It’s a different scenario to what we’re used to but we’ll keep those arrangements in place until at least the end of week when we’re satisfied that the threat of flooding has subsided.”

A faulty pumping station at Reid Park Beck at Horbury Bridge, which was then privately owned, was blamed for contributing to the disaster there last year.

The council has since taken ownership of that station, which is currently being manned, and repaired it in the hope of mitigating excess rainfall in future.

Local Democracy Reporting Service