More than 40 people rescued from Billing Aquadrome

A holiday park was evacuated for a third time this year because of flooding.

Forty three people were rescued from Billing Aquadrome, in Great Billing, by Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

An overnight rest centre at Lings Forum Leisure Centre housed 52 people and 22 displaced dogs, the fire service said.

A flood alert was issued at the park on Tuesday after heavy rain caused water levels on the River Nene to rise over the course of the last 48 hours.

Billing Aquadrome, which with Cogenhoe Mill holiday park is owned by Meadow Bay Villages, was previously evacuated after flooding in January and February.

After the site was sold to Meadow Bay Villages in April, chief executive Geoffrey Smith told BBC Radio Northampton that one of the priorities would be reducing the risk of flooding.

The fire service remained at the site until midnight and said it would return later to continue supporting the site and its management.

All the agencies in the co-ordinating group, including all the health partners, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire councils and the Environment Agency continue to work on a joint response to the situation and the wider impact of the flooding in Northamptonshire.

The fire service urged people to continue to follow flood safety advice.

A resident told the BBC he was put up in a local hotel during the last flooding alert, but was unsure where he would spend the night this time.

He said: "I would assume that some of them might be quite close to being under water again like it was at Christmas, it's not a good sign for some people."

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