Up to 6,500 people were today evacuated from a Peak District town in the shadow of a dam containing 300million gallons of water that has started to crumble due to five days of torrential rain.
Derbyshire Police told the residents of Whalley Bridge to leave their homes immediately in case the 1.3million tonnes of water contained in the huge Toddbrook Reservoir starts to escape.
Evacuees were told to gather at a school three miles away in Chapel-en-le-Frith or head further afield to stay with family or friends following fears over the reservoir, which was built in 1831 and drains a 43-acre catchment area.
Police urged residents from the picturesque market town to ensure they took any pets and medication 'for a number of days', and asked people to 'make alternative arrangements to stay with friends and family'.
Officers said people with nowhere to go will be accommodated, but 'there is limited capacity to do so'. They added: 'If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance please contact 101 and ask for the police.'
The force said the evacuation was 'not a decision that has been taken lightly', adding: 'We appreciate that there is significant impact on this community, however, this is an unprecedented, fast-moving, emergency situation.'
Network Rail confirmed Northern trains between Hazel Grove and Buxton had been stopped in both directions until at least 7pm and will only run again when emergency services confirm it is safe for them to do so.
Deluged communities across the North of England face yet more flooding today with another fortnight's worth of rain set to fall in three hours, after homes were evacuated and stranded people rescued.
Anna Aspinall, 36, from Whaley Bridge, said she and others had been called to help place sandbags in the area around the dam, but were sent away after structural engineers advised 'that the wall is at high risk of failing'.
'We have had significant rainfall over the past few days resulting in the overflow of the reservoir, which is very rarely breached, being completely flooded over,' she said.
The Met Office has issued a rain warning for the North West
'The result is that the overflow this morning has undermining damage and there is a big risk of the village being flooded out. Residents are currently being evacuated along with businesses.'
'We are praying (the dam wall) holds whilst the Canal and River Trust try to drain the water from the reservoir. I live at the top of a hill but am very involved in community life, so want to help where I can,' she added.
Derbyshire Police said it was unclear how long the evacuation of Whaley Bridge would last.
The force tweeted: 'Please make alternate arrangements to stay with friends/family, ensure that pets and medication that may be needed for a number of days are taken.
'If people do not have somewhere to go then they will be accommodated, however there is limited capacity to do so. If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance, please contact 101 and ask for the police.'
The Environment Agency has issued a severe flood warning, suggesting a danger to life, covering the River Goyt at Whaley Bridge. It states that the river could 'rise rapidly' due to water rushing in from the reservoir.
Eleven people were helped to safety in Poynton, Cheshire, due to 'severe flooding' as nearly 0.8in (20mm) of rain lashed the North West in the eight hours from midnight this morning on top of downpours earlier this week.
Later, a further 1.6in (40mm) rain is expected to fall in just three hours in parts of the North West amid a Met Office warning including an alert for the chance of 'fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life'.
Heavy downpours will develop by this afternoon, with forecasters warning of possible further flooding to homes and businesses, train delays, difficult driving conditions, communities being cut off and power cuts.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident in Poynton amid widespread problems that began yesterday, with vehicles trapped in the town as well as several homes, a farm and a nursery being flooded.
Firefighters and Highways England staff were helping those affected, with a rest centre established at Poynton Civic Hall as police urged people not to ignore 'road closed' signs by driving or walking through water.
Flooding due to the continued rain also disrupted all lines on the Northern railway between Manchester Airport and Wilmslow, while a landslip between Dent and Ribblehead caused problems between Carlisle and Skipton.
The Environment Agency has issued 12 alerts of expected flooding and 22 of possible flooding across England on rivers in parts of Derbyshire, Manchester, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire.
Courtney Jackson witnessed the flooding in Bramhall, Stockport, last night and said it was so severe that residents had to be evacuated from homes.
'One older lady (was) in a dressing gown crying,' the 23-year-old said. 'It's such a shame as so many homes have been destroyed and the poor shop owner at Nisa has already had to refurb his shop due the last incidence of flooding at Bramhall roundabout. Luckily I was a little higher, but I couldn't leave the house.'
In Poynton, local groundwork landscaper Adam Wainwright described the aftermath as 'complete chaos'. He said: 'We had flash flooding and heavy rain.
'There have been houses where the flood has had an effect, and it has just ripped through the houses. The water has just gone through the front door and out the back.'
A bridge which partially collapsed due to the flooding in Poynton caused a nearby tree to fall into Simon Howcroft's garden, where a sinkhole also opened up.
By the early hours, crews had finished a seven-hour stint involving rescues, salvage operations and incidents involving electrics and floodwater.
Mr Wainwright, 36, a local groundwork landscaper from Poynton, rounded up some friends and got into his digger as the flooding spread.
From about 4pm to 2am, they went to different bridges in the area and cleared away debris to try to help the water flow so people could get to their homes.
He said: 'We were stumped by the levels of the water. We pushed the machine to its limits and the we pushed ourselves. We did what we could to try and get it flowing. At the end of the day, we are a community that comes together at a time like this.' Mr Wainwright said the water levels at the bridge near Poynton industrial estate looked like it was about 'two metres-plus' high and that he and his small team went 'as far as they could go' to clear the debris.
He said: 'It was tricky but, at the end of the day, we just got on with it. The thing we look at is safety. We stayed on the footpath and did not go into the river.'
He said a bridge had collapsed near Dickens Lane and Waterloo Road the areas was 'knee-deep in thick black sludge with a gaping hole in the road and a gas main suspended in mid-air'.
A Cheshire Fire spokesman said: 'Please bear with us, crews and police officers are working very hard to get to those in need and the most vulnerable in our communities.'
And Cheshire Police warned drivers: 'Please do not risk your life or vehicle through the flood water. Raised manhole covers and debris are likely to be underneath.'
Poynton Fire Station said its crews had attended more than 20 incidents, including rescuing at least 11 people from floodwater in the area during a four-hour period.
Police in nearby Wilmslow also said officers were 'dealing with flooding' and had evacuated affected residents, with Oakenclough Children's Centre open as a rest centre.
Cheshire East councillor Jos Saunders said there had been 'dreadful problems' with the roads, some of which were 'completely' flooded.
She said: 'We have got roads where the water was waist-deep, and unfortunately this is the second time in three years it has flooded.'Stockport councillor Steve Gribbon, who is also a watch manager with the Greater Manchester Fire Service, said areas such as Stockport, Bramall and Cheadle Hulme had also been hit.
Festival organisers start fundraising campaign to help Dales community
Organisers of the Ard Rock mountain biking festival, which had to be cancelled due to the floods in Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales, have begun a fundraising campaign to help the community recover
The organisers said: 'The damage to the local area is unprecedented. Homes are destroyed, livestock and pets swept away in the destructive waters. We're thankful and lucky that no human lives were lost.
'The emergency response was immense - fire services, mountain rescue, police, and well-equipped farmers and local heroes immediately attended to those trapped and in severe danger.
'The mountain bike community is buzzing with offers of support and assistance for those who need it most - local residents and the community.'
After going past the swollen River Goyt, he said: 'I was amazed by how much has come down. It was about two metres higher than it normally is.
'The river is not normally that wide and it was about twice the width.'
A Cheshire East Council spokesman: 'Overnight, we have responded to more than 150 highways-related flooding calls and today we will be inspecting our roads, clearing any debris and responding to further requests for assistance.'
But the Met Office said it should be a 'much drier picture' across England today. Forecaster Luke Miall said only sporadic rain was likely in central and western Scotland and northern England, possibly as far south as Yorkshire.
He said: 'There may be some showers but they're likely to not be as frequent nor as significant as the last few days.' South West England and parts of Wales may also see occasional showers, Mr Miall added.
There are also hopes of a return to warm conditions this weekend, especially in South East England, with temperatures of 77F (25C) tomorrow and on Saturday in London and 81F (27C) by Sunday.
Yesterday, bridges were washed away and roads became raging torrents as downpours swept across the North and hailstones likened to 'pickled onions' fell in monsoon-like conditions in the Yorkshire Dales.
Soldiers from the Second Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment were sent out from Catterick Garrison to help people in Swaledale, handing out sandbags to try to save their homes.
It follows major flooding in the past few years in Britain in the likes of Cumbria during Storm Desmond in 2015, in York from the Ouse and River Foss in the same year, and the Somerset Levels around the Parrett and Tone in 2014.
The Government has said it is providing £2.6billion to combat flooding over the next six years, delivering more than 1,000 projects to protect 300,000 homes. This is on top of £1billion by 2020 to maintain flood defences.
The weather is a stark contrast from last Thursday when Britain recorded its hottest day on record, with 101.7F (37.7C) in Cambridge, breaking the previous record of 101.3F (38.5C) set in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.
This is the terrifying moment a grandmother realised her car was completely trapped by gushing flood water on a remote road.
Sue Brown, a 58-year-old council worker from Richmond, North Yorkshire, had been working in Reeth on Tuesday afternoon, and was driving home when she found herself surrounded by 'swirling rapids'.
Thankfully Mrs Brown was saved by emergency services in the nick of time, but she has been left shaken by her ordeal.
She said: 'It had been rumbling with thunder when I arrived at my meeting at 2.30pm, and by 3.30pm it was torrential. I couldn't believe the amount of surface water on the road already.
'I drove very carefully back through Grinton towards the road to Richmond but when I reached Ellerton Grange, not far out of Grinton, I had to stop. There were cars in front and behind, but I could see the amount of water coming down from the hills and it was gushing onto the road.
'Some cars went round me but I later found out their cars broke down, one that went ahead looked like it was floating. The dry stone walls had come away on the hills with the force of the water, and I could feel the rocks bashing by car.
'It was like a waterfall of brown water. By this point it was like a bubbling rapids swirling around the car, and I couldn't go backwards because I could feel the force of the water behind me. I rang my husband and I said he would come and get me, although I knew he wouldn't reach me, but it was good for my morale!
'Shortly after I saw blue lights at the end of the stretch of road, and eventually some of the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team and firefighters got close enough to give me a thumbs up to see if I was OK.'
Mrs Brown said she knew if she opened her car door she would let in more water and potentially be swept away. Finally the rescue team reached her and helped her out of the boot of the car.
She said: 'I had to then wade through the freezing water, holding onto the back of my rescuer, and follow his steps exactly.
'Once I was safely in a field, he left me and said he had to go and rescue a mum with two young children from a car further behind where I was.
'The scariest part was the last walk through the field on my own with lightning flashing around me.'
She added: 'I want to say a massive thank you to the emergency services as they were all fantastic.'
Mrs Brown, a grandmother-of-one who works for North Yorkshire County Council, has been told her car is now a write-off due to the damage from flood waters.She was rescued by her husband Paul, 67, a retired plumber, and her son-in-law, James, 39, who were able to reach Sue in a 4x4 after she waded through muddy fields.
Mrs Brown, who was trapped for around 45 minutes in her car, added: 'It was pointless panicking because what could I do, I believed I was going to get rescued at some point.
'I could see the fire engines at the other side but I didn't know how they were going to get to me, it was very scary.
'I could feel the force of the water behind me, I hoped my handbrake was going to hold. I could have gone into the wall or floated into the fields below, the lightning was striking.
'When the emergency services came they got me out of the boot of my car and then took me to the other side of the road. My husband and son-in-law drove up to where the emergency services were.'
Mrs Brown added: 'I have been told my car is a write-off, the car was in such a state from the water rising. It came in so quickly there was no where to go. I had to leave the car, the emergency services said I had to leave the car to the mercy of the elements.
'My insurance company haven't quibbled and have offered me a really good price for the vehicle, which is a relief.'
