Disruption across area as Storm Henk causes havoc for motorists

ASHBOURNE may have escaped the worst of the disastrous floods that hit the country in the wake of Storm Henk last week, but the torrential downpour led to disruption across the area.

Several rivers in Derbyshire, including the Henmore and the Dove, were on a flood alert, with the Met Office placing the whole area under a yellow warning for heavy rain.

On the A515 near to Boylestone, commuters struggled to get through a huge stretch of flooded road near to the Russells farm supply depot on Tuesday night and, by the following day, the flood water had spread across the road near to Sudbury, cutting off the stretch for all but off-road vehicles.

The flooding led to several vehicles breaking down and becoming stuck, and volunteers waded in to help rescue stranded motorists while the rain lashed down.

In the town centre, Ashbourne’s retained fire and rescue crews spent some of their Tuesday night training session clearing the flood water from outside their Park Road station, using a pump and hoses. The water had almost completely covered Park Road during peak rushour.

Loughborough, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire were among the worst-affected areas in the East Midlands, and the clear-up in some parts of the region is still ongoing - despite drier weather arriving in time for the weekend.

Forecasters say the drier weather

Cars are abandoned in flood water. Pictures by RKP Photography is now set in for a time, but bracing north-easterly winds will drastically reduce temperatures, particularly overnight, potentially even leading to snow showers next week.

Ashbourne’s fire and rescue officers tackle a flood right outside their station in Park Road, during the worst of Storm Henk

Ossie’s Kitchen, based at St Oswald’s Church Hall, has been nominated for a King’s Award.