Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service continues to support communities across the county after major flooding

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to support communities across the county following the major flooding incident caused by Storm Christoph.

For much of this week, firefighters from across the county have been working tirelessly to pump the water away, and in many cases have had to use their water rescue skills to help stranded residents leave their flooded homes.

Crews responded to well over 100 incidents during a 24-hour period on Wednesday through to Thursday morning, the vast majority of them related to the storm. As of this morning (Friday 22 January), more than 150 Cheshire residents have been evacuated or rescued from their homes.

The main areas impacted by the flood waters have been Warrington and Northwich. In particular, Northwich town centre was closed yesterday as flood water rose on many of the roads and into shops.

Swift action has also had to be taken by crews in Ellesmere Port, Tattenhall and Farndon, while dozens of roads across the county have had to be closed.

Throughout the week, the Service has worked with other agencies under the banner of the Cheshire Resilience Forum, with colleagues from Cheshire Constabulary, Warrington Borough Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Environment Agency playing key roles in the response.

And with Cheshire one of the worst affected areas in the UK during this particular storm, the Service has also received support from neighbouring fire services including Manchester and Lancashire.

Head of Service Delivery Neil Griffiths said: “We’ve seen an extraordinary effort from our firefighters these past few days in the face of some really challenging conditions.

“Unfortunately, many people have been displaced from their homes in the wake of these floods, and I have to commend the skills of our crews in ensuring that we have been able to get to those who needed our help and bring them to safety.

“Our work isn’t done. Though we are seeing most of the flood waters recede, there are ongoing concerns in the Farndon area after the River Dee burst its banks this morning, while we’ve still got Northwich town centre and some parts of Warrington closed off. We will continue to support our communities as best as we possibly can.”

Details of road closures are being regularly updated by our colleagues at Cheshire Constabulary. You can find the latest information at:

http://www.cheshire.police.uk