Doncaster residents have taken to social media this week after a photo started circulating of a Yorkshire Water van stranded in the recent flooding.

At first, it was thought it could be an AI generated image but the Free Press received a second photo of the stranded vehicle on Pastures Road in Mexborough taken yesterday (Wednesday, January 28).

Th resident who took the photo said: “This was where the River Dearne was in flood (for the fourth time this winter). The new flood gates were locked so one can only assume that the occupants of the van belonging to Yorkshire Water got their locking procedures a bit mixed up! (Perhaps they act on behalf of the Environment Agency?). “Anyway it raised a few local laughs.”

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “On the way to attend a customer enquiry, one of our drivers became stranded on Pastures Road, prior to the road closure, and before the river broke its banks.

“They, along with a number of other road users, were instructed to leave the vehicle and get to safety by the local fire service, as the water levels had risen significantly by this time. There were no ‘road flood’ warning signs in place prior to this.

“We take health and safety extremely seriously and we will be issuing road safety advice to all of our staff to remind them to drive to the conditions and take all of the necessary precautions.

“We would like to thank South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for their prompt response and apologise to the customers who were left waiting for a response to their enquiry, alternate operators were despatched as soon as we were made aware of the situation. The van will be removed once the water levels have receded and it is safe to do so.”