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A town in Derbyshire was being evacuated today over fears a reservoir's dam could collapse after torrential rain sparked major flooding across parts of northern England.

Residents in Whaley Bridge were being told to leave their homes amid fears water from the Toddbrook Reservoir could swamp their homes after a dam was damaged in bad weather.

The reservoir contains an estimated 300 million gallons of water that would weigh around 1.3m tonnes which could wipe out the small town if the dam was to collapse.

Police have told residents from the picturesque market town to bring pets and enough medication to last for 'a number of days.'

Derbyshire police said the town with around 6,500 inhabitants was being evacuated "due to the ongoing situation at Toddbrook Reservoir."

Police wrote on Twitter: "Whaley Bridge is being evacuated due to the ongoing situation at Toddbrook Reservoir.

"If you are being evacuated then please start heading to #Chapel High School, Long Lane, #ChapelEnLeFrith, #HighPeak, SK23 0TQ, where further direction will be given.

"Officers and staff will be at the school to give further direction but at this time we aren't sure how long the evacuation will take. 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."

Heavy downpours brought flooding and scenes of "complete chaos" to parts of the UK today.

Flooding due to sustained rain disrupted all lines on the railway between Manchester Airport and Wilmslow early on Thursday, according to train operator Northern.

A major incident was declared late on Wednesday in Poynton, Cheshire, due to "severe flooding" and 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.

Flooding in the North of England - In pictures 33 show all Flooding in the North of England - In pictures 1/33 Flooding at Grinton Moor Road TC Rich Grey 2/33 A major incident was declared after the flooding in Poynton PA 3/33 The roof of a submerged car on the A555 near Handforth, Cheshire PA 4/33 Police are evacuating the entire town of Whaley Bridge PA 5/33 Flooding in Poynton, Cheshire PA 6/33 PA 7/33 A bike rider comes to a halt as flood water blocks a road on the A555 near Handforth, Cheshire PA 8/33 PA 9/33 Hazel Wainwright outside her house after it was flooded in Poynton, Cheshire PA 10/33 Martin Ward inspecting flood damage in his house after it was flooded in Cheshire, after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding PA 11/33 PA 12/33 The dam protects the town of Whaley Bridge PA 13/33 Flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire PA 14/33 A car being driven through flood water in Yorkshire PA 15/33 There are fears the town of Whaley Bridge could be swamped by water from the Toddbrook reservoir PA 16/33 Roads washed away and a bridge collapsed after parts of North Yorkshire saw up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours PA@OscarRomeo1268 via PA 17/33 Soldiers from 2 Yorks arrive in Grinton to help out with flood clean-up efforts PA 18/33 Rowena Hutchinson, owner of the Red Lion Inn in Langthwaite, stands in her living room after her home and pub were devastated by flood water, PA 19/33 A house is surrounded by flood water in Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours PA 20/33 A man drives through flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours PA 21/33 Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team of damage to a bridge in the Swaledale area of North Yorkshire PA 22/33 A woman walks through flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire PA 23/33 A man drives along a flooded road in Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hour PA 24/33 Shocking damage to a bridge in the Swaledale area of North Yorkshire was shared by Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team PA 25/33 A woman walks through flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire PA 26/33 Flooding in Yorkshire PA 27/33 Coastguard crews rescued a man and a woman who were left 'clinging by their fingernails' to the Filey Brigg cliff Owen Scrimshaw via PA 28/33 Gareth Walls likened the large hailstones to 'pickled onions' Gareth Walls via PA 29/33 Daamaged road and floodwater on the B6270 between Downhome and Grinton, North Yorkshire @OscarRomeo1268 via PA 30/33 The size of hailstones falling in Masham, North Yorkshire @loftusfarms via PA 31/33 Coastguard crew rescuing a man and a woman from Filey Brigg in North Yorkshire Owen Scrimshaw via PA 32/33 Coastguard crew arriving to rescue a man and a woman from Filey Brigg in North Yorkshire PA 33/33 Hailstones falling with a toy digger in Masham, North Yorkshire @loftusfarms via PA 1/33 Flooding at Grinton Moor Road TC Rich Grey 2/33 A major incident was declared after the flooding in Poynton PA 3/33 The roof of a submerged car on the A555 near Handforth, Cheshire PA 4/33 Police are evacuating the entire town of Whaley Bridge PA 5/33 Flooding in Poynton, Cheshire PA 6/33 PA 7/33 A bike rider comes to a halt as flood water blocks a road on the A555 near Handforth, Cheshire PA 8/33 PA 9/33 Hazel Wainwright outside her house after it was flooded in Poynton, Cheshire PA 10/33 Martin Ward inspecting flood damage in his house after it was flooded in Cheshire, after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding PA 11/33 PA 12/33 The dam protects the town of Whaley Bridge PA 13/33 Flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire PA 14/33 A car being driven through flood water in Yorkshire PA 15/33 There are fears the town of Whaley Bridge could be swamped by water from the Toddbrook reservoir PA 16/33 Roads washed away and a bridge collapsed after parts of North Yorkshire saw up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours PA@OscarRomeo1268 via PA 17/33 Soldiers from 2 Yorks arrive in Grinton to help out with flood clean-up efforts PA 18/33 Rowena Hutchinson, owner of the Red Lion Inn in Langthwaite, stands in her living room after her home and pub were devastated by flood water, PA 19/33 A house is surrounded by flood water in Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours PA 20/33 A man drives through flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours PA 21/33 Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team of damage to a bridge in the Swaledale area of North Yorkshire PA 22/33 A woman walks through flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire PA 23/33 A man drives along a flooded road in Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hour PA 24/33 Shocking damage to a bridge in the Swaledale area of North Yorkshire was shared by Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team PA 25/33 A woman walks through flood water outside Dales Cafe and Cakery in Yorkshire PA 26/33 Flooding in Yorkshire PA 27/33 Coastguard crews rescued a man and a woman who were left 'clinging by their fingernails' to the Filey Brigg cliff Owen Scrimshaw via PA 28/33 Gareth Walls likened the large hailstones to 'pickled onions' Gareth Walls via PA 29/33 Daamaged road and floodwater on the B6270 between Downhome and Grinton, North Yorkshire @OscarRomeo1268 via PA 30/33 The size of hailstones falling in Masham, North Yorkshire @loftusfarms via PA 31/33 Coastguard crew rescuing a man and a woman from Filey Brigg in North Yorkshire Owen Scrimshaw via PA 32/33 Coastguard crew arriving to rescue a man and a woman from Filey Brigg in North Yorkshire PA 33/33 Hailstones falling with a toy digger in Masham, North Yorkshire @loftusfarms via PA

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) said firefighters, emergency services personnel and staff from Highways England were helping those affected, with a rest centre established at Poynton Civic Hall.

CFRS added: "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."

Police urged people not to ignore "road closed" signs by driving or walking through water.

"Your car could become submerged and the road underneath could have collapsed, putting you in danger," the Macclesfield North and Poynton Police Twitter account said.

Poynton Fire Station said its crews had handled call-outs to 20 incidents including to help people stranded by flooding.

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".

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.

The Environment Agency said its teams were out in Cheshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester, where intense rainfall had caused flooding and disruption on Thursday.

It urged people to say away from swollen rivers and to avoid driving through flood water.

It issued a series of flood warnings covering central, north-west and north-east England.

The Met Office said it should be a "much drier picture" across England on Thursday.

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, he added.

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.

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."