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Widespread disruption as storm Henk hits Northamptonshire

Helen Louise Brown Cars in floodwater on a rural road. Some people on foot are in attendance.Helen Louise Brown
Cars have been getting stuck on Foxhill Road between Long Buckby and West Haddon near Daventry

Flooding has caused widespread disruption and water levels are expected to rise overnight.

Roads have been made impassable in parts of Northamptonshire, leisure parks have been evacuated and trains have been delayed.

The Environment Agency has issued flood warnings for several areas.

The local resilience forum, which manages emergency planning, urged people not to drive or walk through flood water.

The Environment Agency said that its warning meant flooding is expected and family and pets should be moved to safety.

Important items should be moved upstairs and gas, water and electricity supplies should be turned off it if is safe to do so.

Kevin Everett Water across the grass at a golf club with trees in the background.Kevin Everett
The course at Daventry Golf Club is unplayable due to floodwater

Warnings have been issued for several places in Northamptonshire, including isolated properties near the River Nene from Cogenhoe to Great Doddington and from Wellingborough to Thrapston.

Northamptonshire Police have said that the owners of Cogenhoe Mill Holiday Park, near Northampton, have closed the site, and sirens have been heard at Billing Aquadrome where an evacuation is underway,

Cosgove Park, a private holiday park near Milton Keynes, is closed until further notice.

In Corby, the household waste recycling centre has been closed because the entrance is flooded. North Northamptonshire Council said it would open as soon as it was safe.

West Northamptonshire Council said flooding had made the long-stay car park on Northampton Road in Towcester inaccessible.

River level gauge showing the water is at level 8, the second highest on the measuring line
The river level in Earls Barton is almost as high as the maximum on the level gauge

Speed restrictions have been imposed on the East Midlands Railway network, which included Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough.

The company said it was "strongly advising customers not to attempt to travel this evening".

London Northwestern Railway, serving Northampton and Long Buckby, warned that flooding and strong winds were affecting journeys and passengers were advised to check the latest updates before they travelled.

Northamptonshire Police A reservoir and surrounding landNorthamptonshire Police
Vast swathes of land across Northamptonshire was waterlogged

Northamptonshire Police said that the Northampton Washlands reservoir is currently storing flood water, but it was expected to reach capacity by evening, resulting in increased levels downstream of the reservoir in the Nene valley.

A spokesperson for the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), which manages emergency planning in the county, said: "The Environment Agency is closely monitoring the situation and working closely with partners including police and fire.

"We ask members of the public to not drive or walk through flood water as just 30cm of water is enough to sweep you off your feet.

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