Fire crews saved our Doncaster homes from flooding, residents say

The warden at Willow Bridge Caravan Park said the floodwaters from the River Don and flash flooding would have seen the park underwater had the fire service not arrived on the scene with a high volume water pump.

Crews arrived yesterday evening, as the water was advancing on the caravans as the level of the River Don rose during Storm Dennis on Sunday night.

Warden and resident Nick Badham was worried.

He said: “It is quiet now, but the water was only about two feet away. The road under the bridge near the park was flooded and was impassible.

“We rang the council and their response was very good. We had firefighters, council people and Environment Agency people here, but there have been a lot of scared people who were worried about their homes.

“We got worried about 4.45pm last night when the water was getting higher and higher, and water was pouring off the bridge.

“The fire department told us if they hadn’t come and pumped water out, it would have gone over.

“There are only two words we have for the fire fighters – and they are thank you. They were brilliant.”

Sandbags still remained in place at the site this morning to keep water back.

But residents now feel they need a run of dry weather for the river levels to fall back again.

“I think we’d like to see something done to stop the water pouring off the bridge in the way it does,” he added.

“People here were up most of the night because what was going on. We didn’t get much sleep. The site would definitely have flooded without the fire firefighters actions.”

Willow Bridge was one of a number of sites in Bentley that flooded back in November, when Doncaster was hit by major rainfall which swelled the levels of the Don.

But all those who were flooded out of their homes on the caravan site are thought to be back in their homes again.