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Storm Dennis: Care home staff carried through floods by tractor

Herefordshire Council Picture of the tractor shared by Herefordshire Highways on TwitterHerefordshire Council
Herefordshire Highways shared a picture of the tractor transport service on Twitter

Staff at a care home have been carried into work on a tractor and trailer, as flooding after Storm Dennis remains.

Hampton Bishop in Herefordshire was the last place in England to have a severe flood warning, meaning a danger to life, following the storm.

The county council has been providing the extra service to transport staff to the village's care home, Hampton House.

Emma Thompson, care home manager, has also stayed on the site since last Sunday to support residents.

"They are like grandparents to me and I just want to be here to reassure them 24/7," she said.

"But we're very lucky, we have three birthdays this weekend so we're all eating cake."

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People have been evacuated from their homes due to floods, with the worst-affected areas including south Wales, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, with over 80 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, in place across England.

The severe warnings in Hampton Bishop were lifted at 12:00 GMT on Saturday.

Ms Thompson has praised Herefordshire Council, Herefordshire Fire and Rescue Service, her "incredible" staff and relatives who have helped the care home keep going through the flooding.

Getty Images Hereford Fire and Rescue personnel check the depth of flood water as they go along a flooded road in the village of Hampton Bishop in Herefordshire, western England on February 20, 2020Getty Images
Herefordshire Fire and Rescue Service workers checked flood levels in Hampton Bishop on Friday

Though Ms Thompson said the village was "not out of the woods", she added the situation was starting to improve.

"One of my staff members lives on Church Lane, and she has now been able to get in wearing wellies, which is fantastic, because she had been turning up at the back door in a kayak," she said.

Dave Throup, from the Environment Agency, said more rain was expected over the weekend.

"I think it will push levels back up on the main rivers, but at the moment we have got no suggestion it will take them to where they were earlier in the week," he said.

PA Media Floodwater surrounding the village of Hampton Bishop near Hereford, after the River Lugg burst its banks in the aftermath of Storm Dennis.PA Media
Severe flood warnings for the River Lugg and River Wye in Hampton Bishop have been lifted

Elsewhere, Shropshire Council said sections of the Coleham flood barriers in Shrewsbury were being deployed as a precautionary measure due to the expected rainfall.

Frankwell Main Car Park is closed until further notice, it said, and there is no overnight parking at St Julian's Friar's car park as levels are set to rise overnight.

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