UK weather: Rescues and evacuations after widespread flooding – as party boat sinks in Thames
Swathes of the Midlands and the South of England have been hit by widespread flooding after heavy rain fell on saturated ground and caused rivers to swell.
A major incident has been declared in Nottinghamshire due to rising water levels along the River Trent – with officials telling residents who live in flood risk areas to be prepared to evacuate their homes.
Forecasts showed peaks along the River Trent could “come close to the highest levels on record from the year 2000”, Nottinghamshire County Council said.
Floodwater surrounds houses in Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
In central London, a party boat sank in the Thames – with its owners saying the cause was likely “because of weather conditions”. The coastguard told Sky News that “everyone is accounted for”.
The Met Office’s yellow weather warning for rain across the South of England expired at 3am on Friday, but the Environment Agency says the impact of surface water and river flooding could be felt for several days.
Great Western Railway and South Western Railway have both told passengers that travel disruption is likely to continue into this morning’s rush hour as engineers grapple with flooded lines and landslips.
Sky News weather producer Joanna Robinson says the forecast looks more settled as we head into the weekend, but it will be colder than recently.
She added: “Friday morning looks rather grey and blustery for eastern Britain, with outbreaks of rain, most persistent across eastern Scotland.
“Elsewhere, it will be mainly dry, with sunny spells, but there will be a scattering of showers. The weekend also looks mainly dry, with just isolated showers.”
Check out the latest weather forecast where you are
The highest rainfall totals recorded on Thursday were 35.2mm at Otterbourne in Hampshire, with a wide range of 20mm to 30mm across much of the southern counties of England.
It comes just days after disruption caused by strong winds and rain from Storm Henk, which has left the ground saturated and more prone to flooding.
Late last night, 10 fire engines and about 70 firefighters were called to a big flood in east London.
Several people were evacuated from buildings after a canal burst its banks in Hackney Wick.
Flooding in Hackney Wick. Pic: @LondonFire
Other key developments:
• Tewkesbury experiences worst flooding since 2007
• Cows drown in flooded field in Derbyshire
• Police force referred to watchdog after woman dies after hitting fallen tree
• People stranded in their homes in Shrewsbury
Follow live: Flooding across England as county declares major incident
A view of Worcester city centre flooded by the River Severn
Urging people to be prepared to evacuate due to the flooding, Nottinghamshire County Council said in its statement: “Key tributaries which feed in to the River Trent, including the River Derwent, the River Soar and the River Dove, have already reached their peaks and high water levels will now pass down the Trent, which is likely to lead to the flooding to properties and roads.
“Residents who live in the flood risk areas are being asked to ensure they have preparations in place in case they are asked to evacuate. Councils, emergency services and the Environment Agency have been providing emergency support to communities impacted and will continue to provide support across the county.”
It comes as a man stranded on his shed roof by floodwater in Nottinghamshire was rescued by a fire crew who used a boat to bring him safely to land.
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Man rescued from shed roof in Nottinghamshire
A view of flooding around the River Arun in Pulborough, West Sussex
‘Outside their front doors it’s like a river’
Meanwhile, several residents of Radcliffe Residential Park, an estate of static caravans for the over-55s just to the east of Nottingham in the East Midlands, had to be evacuated due to high water levels.
Laurie Walker, chairman of Radcliffe Park Residents’ Association, said: “I’ve had someone knock on my door to say the water is going to rise another 25cm. Outside their front doors, it’s like a river, I don’t know if the homes have been flooded.
“To come out of the park I’ve had to walk through somebody else’s garden to avoid the flood on the road. It’s the worst it’s ever been, I’ve been here seven years. It’s a mess.”
A flooded residential street in Loughborough, Leicestershire
A flooded house in Loughborough, Leicestershire
Pub landlord in tears after business floods
Parts of Worcestershire, the West Midlands, Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and West Sussex have also been flooded.
Mario Thomas, 65, landlord of The Boat Inn in Jackfield, Shropshire, has said he broke down in tears after “evil” floodwaters devastated his pub.
He said the water was up to his chest when he entered the pub close to the River Severn.
The Boat Inn which flooded in Shropshire
Police refers itself to watchdog after woman’s death
Meanwhile, Thames Valley Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over the death of an 87-year-old woman in Oxfordshire who crashed into a tree.
The force said it received a report about the tree around 90 minutes before the collision.
Eyewitness: Fears for vulnerable people as flooding hits market town
Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire is no stranger to floods – especially the residents of Abbey Terrace.
Properties all have pumps in their cellars and floodgates in their gardens.
But as firefighters evacuated vulnerable people from their homes, locals on the road told Sky News this is the worst they’ve seen it since 2007.
The Veal family were loading up possessions into a kayak.
Simon, a father, said: “We’re going to evacuate. The ground floor is no longer tenable. The sewerage system doesn’t work, it won’t be long before the water is polluted as well, the power will go out.
“The floors will have to come out. The plaster up to a metre will come off the walls, damaged furniture, the fridge, freezer, cooker, washing machine, tumble dryer. It’s everything.”
John and his wife Marion were being evacuated in a boat by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.
“It’s worse than 2007,” John told me. “That was in the middle of summer, it was not as cold. That’ll be a problem for vulnerable people.”
One man has been arrested, and further suspects are being traced, after 21 people needed medical attention following a “pepper spray” incident at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Officers were called at 8.11am on Sunday to a multi-storey car park at Terminal 3 following reports of multiple people being assaulted, said the Metropolitan Police.
A statement from the force said: “Armed officers responded to the incident and arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of assault, within nine minutes of the report coming in.
“He remains in custody and enquiries remain ongoing to locate further suspects.”
What we know so far:
• Police say a group of four men “robbed a woman of her suitcase” in a car park lift
• They sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction
• People in the lift and the surrounding area were impacted
• Those directly involved are “known to each other”
• A total of 21 people were treated at the scene, including a three-year-old
• Passengers faced delays and difficulties accessing the airport
• Most of the disruption has now cleared
Fire engines responding to the incident at Heathrow Airport. Pic: @_umarjaved
Met Police Commander Peter Stevens said on Sunday afternoon that the force believes “a woman was robbed of her suitcase by a group of four men, who sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction”.
“This occurred within a car park lift, with those in the lift and surrounding area affected by the spray,” he continued.
“Our officers are working to determine the full circumstances around what happened but we do believe this to be an isolated incident with those directly involved known to each other.”
London Ambulance Service attended the scene and treated 21 people, including a three-year-old girl. Five people were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.
There was some disruption to traffic in the area and Terminal 3 remains open.
Eyewitness describes ‘absolutely terrifying’ ordeal
Witness Tom Bate told Sky’s Matt Barbet that he saw three “young men, dressed in black with their heads covered” suddenly bolt from the elevator area.
That’s when “people started coughing”, he said. “Suddenly… everyone in the room was coughing, including me, and there was a burning in my throat.
“It was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever experienced.”
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‘Significant incident’ at Heathrow Airport
Mr Bate was in the multi-storey car park at Terminal 3, having just landed from Dallas, Texas.
As he was leaving the car park, he saw “10-20 armed police officers” run in.
“The [police] did, in fact, point their gun at someone and order him to the ground and detain him,” he said. “And they got me out of the vehicle to ID the person.”
Mr Bate described the incident as “pretty intense” and “absolutely terrifying”.
‘Significant incident’
The London Ambulance Service said a “significant incident” was declared and there was a “full deployment” of resources. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said it was also called to the incident.
Heathrow advised passengers to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to check with their airline for any queries.
Some passengers said they were forced to wait three hours for a shuttle bus to the long-stay car park after their flight. The service usually runs every 15 minutes.
Bottles of water were handed out by staff to people waiting for buses from Terminal 3.
There was disruption to train and Tube services, with some delays on the Elizabeth Line and the Piccadilly Line, but all lines are now operating normally.
A queue to exit the Elizabeth Line at Heathrow after the incident. Pic: PA
Traffic also piled up at the M4 junction for the airport but this has since cleared.
People on social media said vehicles were being searched at the airport.
A user on X said there was a “major backlog of cars unable to leave the vicinity or enter the drop-off zone” at Terminal 3.
In footage on X, several armed police were seen in a car park.
Lando Norris won his maiden Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship on Sunday after coming third in the deciding showdown in Abu Dhabi.
The accolade wraps up a clean sweep for his McLaren team, after they claimed the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore in October.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the final race of the season from pole position, but Norris coming in third meant the Dutchman was unable to overcome Norris’s season points total of 423 – with Verstappen just two points short.
Norris’s title victory also ends Verstappen’s four-year reign at the top of Formula 1. The Dutchman was hoping to retain his crown and win a record-equalling fifth-straight Drivers’ Championship, which would have seen him draw level with F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
McLaren driver Lando Norris celebrates winning the Formula One world championship after finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Pic: PA
Norris’s teammate and title rival, Oscar Piastri, finished in second place in the race but third in the overall standings finishing on 410 points.
The 26-year-old Norris is the 11th British driver to win the championship and first since Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
“Thank you guys, oh my God. You have made my dreams come true, thank you so much. I love you guys. Thanks for everything, you deserve it. I love you mum, I love you dad. Thanks for everything. I’m not crying!” he said on the team radio as he crossed the line.
His victory marks a remarkable comeback to secure the title, after falling 34 points behind Piastri following the Dutch Grand Prix in August, when he suffered a late mechanical problem in his car while running second to his Australian teammate.
Lando Norris reacts after becoming a world champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. Pic: AP
But in the nine grand prix that followed, this was only the second time he was beaten by Piastri in a race.
That sequence saw him secure dominant wins in Mexico and Brazil, putting him in pole position for the maiden title.
“I’ve not cried in a while! I didn’t think I would cry but I did!” Norris to Sky Sports in his post-race interview.
“It’s a long journey. First of all, I want to say a big thanks to my guys, everyone at McLaren, my parents – my mum, my dad – they are the ones who have supported me since the beginning.
McLaren driver Lando Norris during the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Pic: AP
“It feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like a little bit! I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them. It’s been an honour, I’ve learned a lot from both.
“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a long year. We did it and I’m so proud for everyone.”
After conducting celebratory ‘donuts’ on the start-finish straight after completing his slow-down lap, Norris was embraced by his parents, Cisca and Adam, after getting out of the car along with his girlfriend, Margarida Corceiro.
Norris received congratulations from across the globe after his win, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
In a post on X, Sir Keir said: “Congratulations @LandoNorris, Britain’s new @F1 champion! An unbelievable season and so well deserved.”
Lottie (right) and her friends watch along at Silverstone
Norris’s fans celebrate in Silverstone
It was clear who fans at this watch party wanted to see win, and they got their wish.
There were cheers, tears and hugs of celebration as Lando Norris became the first Brit to win the World Championship in five years.
“Great race, great result,” says Jamie, who attended the watch party with his girlfriend Lottie. “We cheered every time he came on screen.”
Lottie has seen Norris race at Silverstone before, but today was even more special.
“I’ve never felt like this before,” says Lottie. “It was such an amazing experience.”
She admits, though, that for much of the afternoon she “felt sick,” nervous about how the race would pan out.
Norris only needed to be in the top three to win, but was amongst stiff competition with Max Verstappen and team mate Oscar Piastri hot on his heels.
There were groans in the crowd each time Norris slipped behind, and raucous cheers each time he closed the gap.
But it was the reaction from the Jenner family that caught my attention, crying and embracing each other when it became clear Norris had brought it home.
“The fact he has managed to get here is just everything. It’s amazing,” said Mrs Jenner.
“Pure joy that he had done it, we all love F1 as a family, it just means everything.”
But not everyone was happy. Abhi was among the few who came to support another driver.
“Go Max every time,” he says, admitting that he is “a bit gutted” by the results. “It stings a bit, but that’s the nature of the race.”
When asked what it was like to be one of the only people not there to witness Norris take the win, he says, “I felt a bit intimidated to be honest, and a bit stressed as well, but I held my own.”
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah says he has been “thrown under the bus” by the club, and his relationship with manager Arne Slot has broken down.
The 33-year-old player also suggested that next Saturday’s match against Brighton could be his last for the Reds, who are the reigning Premier League champions.
Speaking after Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds, the Egypt forward told journalists he was in disbelief he had been left on the bench for the third game running.
Salah takes a selfie with fans in April. Pic: Reuters
“I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season,” said Salah, who signed a new deal at Anfield at the end of last season. “Now I’m sitting on the bench, and I don’t know why.
“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.
“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far, I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they keep the promise.
“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
He joined the club in June 2017, and has been one of the Premier League’s best players.
Asked if his relationship with Slot had broken down, he said: “Yeah, there’s no relationship between us. It was a very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship.”
Salah will play at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for Egypt on 15 December and has been linked with a January move to the Saudi Pro League.
On Tuesday, Liverpool face Inter Milan away in the Champions League.
Speaking about the Brighton match at Anfield next Saturday, he admitted: “I said to [my family], come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
Asked if it could be his final game for Liverpool, Salah said: “In football you never know. I don’t accept this situation. I have done so much for this club.”
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