Hundreds of people who were forced to evacuate their homes by flooding have been told they may not be able to return for another three weeks.

Residents in the village of Fishlake near Doncaster were among the worst hit when the river Don''s waters rose and spilled over its banks.

Now Doncaster Council has warned that clearing the water is “expected to take weeks, not days”.

“Whilst some people may choose to return to their properties in other affected areas, they must not do so if their property is still submerged," it said in a statement. “The Environment Agency, supported by the emergency services, is working hard to recover the area for a safe return but this is going to take some time and the latest estimates suggest a safe return could be up to three weeks away for some residents.

“Every effort is being made to increase the pumping in the area in order to reduce this timeframe”.

Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Show all 30 1 /30 Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster Flood water covers the roads and part of local houses in the Fishlake area in Doncaster Getty Images Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster Members of the Fire and Rescue team carry an elderly resident to dry land amid flooding in Doncaster AFP/Getty Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster DONCASTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Flood water covers the roads and part of local houses in the Fishlake area on November 12, 2019 in Doncaster, England. More heavy rain is expected in parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire as the Environment Agency issues 30 flood warnings and five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire. The prime minister is chairing a meeting of the government's emergency committee later today. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Christopher Furlong Getty Images Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Sheffield A man cycles through a flooded street in South Yorkshire PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster A resident carries a dog to safety on Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster, South Yorkshire PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster A resident inspects floodwater on his doorstep in Bentley, north of Doncaster Reuters Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster People are ferried to safety on Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster, South Yorkshire after the region enddured a month's worth of rain in a day PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster DONCASTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Flood water covers the roads and part of local houses in the Fishlake area on November 12, 2019 in Doncaster, England. More heavy rain is expected in parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire as the Environment Agency issues 30 flood warnings and five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire. The prime minister is chairing a meeting of the government's emergency committee later today. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Christopher Furlong Getty Images Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Leicestershire Delivery lorry stranded in floodwater at Coston Ford in Leicestershire PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Rotherham Shop floor of a bed store that has flooded after the River Don burst its banks in South Yorkshire Getty Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster DONCASTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Flood water covers the garden of a house in the Fishlake area on November 12, 2019 in Doncaster, England. More heavy rain is expected in parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire as the Environment Agency issues 30 flood warnings and five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire. The prime minister is chairing a meeting of the government's emergency committee later today. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Christopher Furlong Getty Images Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Derbyshire Flooding on the River Derwent in Belper Mike Saqui/PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Doncaster DONCASTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Flood water covers the roads and part of local houses in the Fishlake area on November 12, 2019 in Doncaster, England. More heavy rain is expected in parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire as the Environment Agency issues 30 flood warnings and five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire. The prime minister is chairing a meeting of the government's emergency committee later today. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Christopher Furlong Getty Images Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Sheffield A man tries to unblock a drain in Whirlow PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Mansfield Torrential rain has led to a mudslide which has forced the evacuation of residents along Bank End Close PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Flooding on Bridlegate in the town centre of Rotherham Reuters Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Birdge on the swollen River Don by Rotherham town centre Reuters Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Flooded railway track at Kiveton, South Yorkshire PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire South Yorkshire emergency responders rescue a pair of people stranded on the A633 by Rotherham South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Derbyshire Flooding on the River Rother by Killamarsh in Derbyshire @wendytinley/PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Flooding by Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, @Eggy5691/PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Rotherham Emergency responders ferry people to safety on the A633 Reuters Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Derbyshire Flooding on the River Derwent in Belper, Derbyshire Mike Saqui/PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Derbyshire Flooding at a junction in Belper, Derbyshire Mike Saqui/PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Sheffield Saturated ground at Flockton Park in Sheffield, South Yorkshire @DanielH60694431/PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Vehicles are stranded in floodwater on the A633 by Rotherham Reuters Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Vehicles are stranded in floodwater on an industrial park in Rotherham Reuters Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire Vehicles drive along a flooded road by Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England South Yorkshire A car is stranded in floodwater by Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield PA Homes evacuated as flooding chaos strikes England Sheffield A man wades down a flooded road in Whirlow, Sheffield PA

More than 100 flood warnings and alerts have been issued across the UK – with the north east continuing to be highlighted as an area of particular risk.

Of the 34 flood warnings currently in place across the UK, highlighting places where flooding is expected, 17 are on the river Don – including the already submerged Fishlake area.

So far it is estimated more than 1,000 properties in flood-stricken areas have been evacuated.

Conditions have the potential to worsen on Thursday according to a yellow rain warning issued by the met office for an area spanning the north east – with forecasters saying the deluge could cut communities off for days and create “a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater, causing a danger to life”

Despite continuing warnings, ministers have stopped short of calling the floods a national emergency – with Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove telling BBC Breakfast: “It's certainly an emergency and it deserves a national response”.

He added: “And that’s what we’ve had. So we’ve had an army unit from Catterick scrambled to help those affected, we had an RAF Chinook from Odiham in Hampshire which was deployed to help, we’ve had cabinet ministers visiting Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire to talk to effected victims.

“It’s also been the case that the government have made money available to local authorities to deal with this particular crisis”.

It comes after the government was roundly attacked for its response to the flooding – with Jeremy Corbyn accusing the Conservatives of neglecting the north of the country.

Speaking at a rally in Blackpool, he added: "If this had happened in Surrey instead of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, I think it would have been a very different story. When terrible floods struck the South in 2014, David Cameron rightly said ‘Money is no object in this relief effort. Whatever money is needed, we will spend it.’

“This time, Boris Johnson waited five days before calling a COBRA meeting – and only after I wrote to him demanding it.”