Major incident as 59 people rescued from floods

A major incident has been declared due to widespread flooding across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, with dozens rescued by emergency services.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said it had received more than 200 calls on Monday morning.

Crews have attended incidents involving cars stuck in flooding, evacuating residents from homes and rising water levels.

On Monday evening, a severe flood warning was issued by the Environment Agency for a stretch of the River Soar in Barrow upon Soar.

It said rising levels at the Pillings Lock posed a risk to properties at a nearby marina and caravan park.

Earlier the fire service said 59 members of the public had been rescued so far.

Judi Beresford, assistant chief fire and rescue officer, said: "Flooding poses a serious risk to lives and property, and we urge everyone to take these warnings seriously.

"Our control room and crews are working tirelessly to assist those in need and to keep people safe.

"We are working with our partners to reduce the impact of this major incident and ask the public to avoid flooded routes when travelling and never to enter flood water."

She added there was no more significant rain forecast and water levels were beginning to fall.

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Leicestershire County Council told the BBC it had been called to 160 flood-related incidents in the county so far.

Cars have been submerged, with disruption to the roads and rail services, including the closure of lines between Peterborough and Leicester, and lines between Derby and both Nottingham and East Midlands Parkway.

East Midlands Railway later said trains were able to run north of Derby to Sheffield, but added the line south remained flooded between the city and Long Eaton.

The county council said it had "flood gangs" attending more than 80 sites across the county to assess and put up road closures.

Leicestershire Police said the most severely affected areas included Melton, the south of the county and Rutland.

However, a number of other towns and villages have also been hit by flooding, including Great Glen, where Cimi Kazazi waded through waist-high water to rescue a woman from a stranded car.

Mr Kazazi, owner of The Italian Greyhound restaurant, said he "didn't think twice" about going to the aid of the driver, who became stuck at about 07:00.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I have never been in a situation like this before. I was getting freezing and feeling very dizzy.

"They got to me at just the nick of time."

Meanwhile, a village road was closed throughout the day, after debris from a wall washed down by heavy rain was left strewn across the carriageway.

Police said a teenage boy was injured when the wall collapsed on him in Ullesthorpe Road, Gilmorton, near Lutterworth.

His injuries are not believed to be serious, officers added.

In Glenfield, Reece Wilson went to Morrisons to do some shopping, but found the car park was submerged so "decided to go home, blow the paddleboard up and go have a bit of fun".

He helped retrieve three stranded cars - paddling to one and walking to the others wearing his wellies.

"They had been parked overnight and the owners couldn't get to them, so they gave me the keys and I drove them out," he said.

Like the fire service, Leicestershire Police said it had experienced a "high volume of calls relating to flooding".

A force spokesperson said: "We are working with colleagues from partner agencies to respond accordingly.

"We would ask that you only contact us about flooding if there is an immediate threat to life."

Authorities have urged people to stay safe and not to drive or wade through flood water.

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