Storm Franklin: Rain causes flooding across Yorkshire

Major rivers have burst their banks in Yorkshire after Storm Franklin battered parts of the UK.

Homes and businesses were flooded in Tadcaster in North Yorkshire on Monday when the River Wharfe overflowed.

The River Don in South Yorkshire burst its banks at Sprotborough on Sunday night, prompting police to warn people to stay away from "fast-flowing" water.

There were 41 flood alerts and 74 flood warnings in place across Yorkshire, the Environment Agency said.

In Tadcaster, Bridge Street is currently under water, meaning vehicles cannot access the bridge.

Zoe Divine, from the Tadcaster Flood Action Group, told BBC Radio York: "We've evacuated where we can, but it's just a waiting game to see how high it actually gets."

In 2015, part of the bridge collapsed into a flooded river, splitting the town in two, and the bridge remained closed for more than a year.

Horses were rescued by firefighters in one part of Tadcaster as water levels rose, with the fire service saying the animals were unharmed.

The Environment Agency said that although river levels on the River Ouse around York were rising they were not expected to lead to widespread flooding.

On Monday, flood water was being pumped out of The Lowther pub, which stands on the river front in York.

Water levels on the River Ouse in in the city were just above 4m (13ft) at midday on Monday and are forecast to peak at 5.1m at 11.45 GMT on Tuesday, according to the Environment Agency.

The highest level to be recorded in the city was 5.4m, on 4 November 2000.

Elsewhere in North Yorkshire, the fire service reported saving a number of people from stranded cars on the A61 at Harewood Bridge, between Leeds and Harrogate.

Homes were evacuated and roads and bridges closed across Yorkshire because of widespread flooding on Sunday.

Network Rail said Rotherham Central railway station remained closed due to "severe flooding" and train services across the region have been disrupted.

In West Yorkshire, Network Rail have shared footage taken by engineers of water leaking into the Thackley Tunnel, near Bradford.

Houses on a street in Riddlesden, near Keighley, were evacuated after the back garden of one of the properties collapsed into the River Aire.

Firefighters helped lead people to safety after the collapse overnight, one resident said.

Residents have said they do not know when they will be able to return.

Strong winds also led to the closure of the M62 between J22 and J23 in West Yorkshire and the Humber Bridge to high-sided vehicles.

Flooding was also reported along the Rivers Calder and Aire in West Yorkshire and the Nidd and Wharfe in North Yorkshire, and firefighters rescued people as flood waters engulfed a Knaresborough caravan site as Storm Franklin swept in.

Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said last week marked the first time three named storms had been recorded within seven days since the storm-naming system began in 2015, with Dudley, Eunice and Franklin arriving shortly after each other.

She added there will "definitely be some impact" from Storm Franklin but it was not expected to be "as severe" as Eunice because the strongest winds would be confined to the coast.

Gales of up to 60mph are predicted across the UK.

The area is filled now with silt, debris and a whole load of rubbish from where the water flooded here on Sunday evening.

Behind the Home Flair store water from the River Don and the canal have flooded the tram tracks into Rotherham.

I spoke to Adrian, the owner of Caffe Cristinacce on the River Don, who said: "The last 12 hours have been crazy, I've been panicking watching river levels and the canal and keeping an eye on flood warnings.

"The tram tracks last night were just like another river and the road at the front filled with water.

"We thought the worst was going to happen, but it's retreated since then."

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said the River Aire, River Calder and River Don have all passed their peaks with lower area washlands filling and "working as expected".

"We have had reports of three flooded properties in South and West Yorkshire, with a further eight properties flooded on The Wharfe in Tadcaster."

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