‘Big Incident’ Declared When Flood Forces Over 1,000 People To Flee From Trailer Park



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More than 1,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes at the trailer park when they were inundated by floodwaters just hours before Christmas Day.

Emergency services declared a major incident as they ordered residents to flee the Northamptonshire site late on Christmas Eve.

Residents of the park in the Billing Aquadrome had needed treatment for hypothermia, emergency services said last night.

A new mom and her baby were among those the teams pulled to safety from the paddling spot to rescue them.

About 100 people without alternative accommodation to stay are spending Christmas at a Holiday Inn, Northants police said.

Specialized water search teams last night urgently searched 1,000 caravans at the site to make sure no one was trapped underwater.

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Northamptonshire search and rescue teams had to row through the flooded site

Police said in a tweet that the main incident had been degraded as water levels dropped.

But the flood had left many residents who were brought to safety in boats stranded for Christmas.

The force tweeted this morning: “Most were able to find accommodation to spend the night with friends and family, and those affected received a special waiver in relation to the Covid-19 restrictions.”

“Approximately 100 people were processed at Lings Forum before being transferred to the Holiday Inn on Bedford Rd for the night.”



Search teams registered more than 1,100 caravans ravaged by the floods

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue said teams rescued three adults from a partially submerged car in a ditch and the new mother and baby.

Rescuers battled ‘extremely challenging’ conditions in the dark, in rising floodwaters and cold temperatures, just hours before the clock struck Christmas Day.

The Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service reported no serious damage to residents but ordered them to stay away from the site this morning.

The service declared the major incident during last night’s emergency, Northants Live reports.

A huge emergency operation was carried out at the Billing Aquadrome, to rescue more than 1,000 people trapped after hours of heavy rain.

Emergency crews were searching 1,100 caravans in the park last night, which was under about 5 feet of water.

Five fire crews and four specialized water crews were deployed to the Billing Aquadrome in Great Billing.

Incident Commander Phil Pells said his crews had to search all units at the scene in very difficult conditions, including rising floodwaters and dropping temperatures.

He added: “I urge anyone still on the site tonight to call the site security team in the first instance who will help us locate you in the park.”

The Environment Agency said last night that the flooding was triggered by heavy rains that fell across the Nene river basin in recent days.

River levels peaked on Christmas Eve, prompting the evacuation order.

The agency warned last night: “There is now a serious risk to life due to difficult evacuation conditions and the potential for floating debris in the flood water.”

A Northamptonshire police spokesman said yesterday: “Emergency services are preparing to evacuate over 1,000 people from 500 caravans at the Billing Aquadrome holiday park in Northampton.

“The heavy rains in Northamptonshire have left large areas of the county affected by flooding and the water reaches up to 5 feet deep in some places.”

“Preparations are underway to move the occupants as night approaches, and freezing temperatures are expected in the early hours.

“Some residents have developed hypothermia. Emergency housing is being obtained at at least two leisure centers in Northampton.”

The floods occurred when the Weather Bureau issued weather warnings for the incoming storm Bella.

The wild weather will bring heavy rains and storms from Boxing Day.

However, parts of northern England were hit by rain and flooding on Christmas Eve, and then a light dusting of snow this morning, as the weather pattern moves from north to south.



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