Workers race to drain water from Toddbrook Reservoir
Nearby Whaley Bridge evacuated yesterday when heavy rain damaged dam wall
Around 1,500 people are thought to have left the town
Fire crews pumping water out while Chinook helicopter helps shore up wall
Reservoir level reduced by more than half a metre so far
PM Boris Johnson arrives to meet those affected
Residents to be allowed home to collect belongings
Roads around town remain closed and trains disrupted
Sandish Shoker
BBC News
The Palace Hotel in Buxton said it was "all hands on deck", having taken in evacuated residents and emergency workers overnight.
They took in 20 people last night and were expecting more to arrive today.
Image source, GoogleAllow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Sylvia McKenzie, who was walking her dog Truffle, said she has lived in Whaley Bridge for more than 40 years.
"We remember the reservoir being repaired about 30 years ago," she said.
"They emptied it for a couple of years so I assume they’re going to empty it now.
"We’ve been down to see the work that’s been going on and it does look like it’s about to give way. It’s pretty alarming," she added.
She said she was satisfied the emergency services seem to have the situation under control.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Manon Castel said she was among those who didn’t have to evacuate as her home is on higher ground.
“Obviously it’s hugely disruptive and it’ll be awful if it [the dam] does go," she said.
“It’ll cause an awful lot of damage and take a lot of houses out. And there are a few stubborn people who won’t shift.
“I think they’ve blocked off a lot of places so they can get emergency service vehicles in and out easily if it does all kick off. They’ve not told us that but I think that’s the plan.”
Firefighters from Kidderminster are among crews drafted in to help.
The Prime Minister said he has spoken to Derbyshire Constabulary's Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann to thank the force for their "ongoing efforts" and has "instructed the Environment Secretary to chair a COBRA meeting later today to coordinate the government’s response".
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Victoria Derbyshire
Melissa Welliver lives above the dam in Whaley Bridge and is out of the potential flood zone.
As she's allowed to stay at home she's focused on helping others and keeping out of the way of emergency services.
She said: "We took down some water yesterday when the Facebook page said that some volunteers needed more refreshments.
"We've been keeping up to date with our friends who might need a place to stay.
"The emergency services have it really well covered so we're staying out of the way."
Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online
Eric Baker has lived in the town for 30 years and has not evacuated as he is on higher ground.
"it’s like living next to a ticking bomb. If that goes the devastation will be unimaginable," he said.
“We saw the water coming over at a tremendous rate on Wednesday and the park was flooded but it wasn’t until Thursday people who look after it started to look worried.
“Then it started to collapse on Thursday and it made a tremendous noise.
“The disruption is huge, the small shops and businesses are really being hit and of course we don’t know when it will be over.”
Victoria Derbyshire
Sharon Withington is one of the luckier residents of Whaley Bridge who lives just beyond the evacuation point.
Despite being allowed to stay at home, she chose to spent last night elsewhere in case the worst did happen.
Now back at home, she said: "Down the road from me there's no-one here. There's a really eerie silence about the place, the only thing you can hear is the Chinook helicopter.
"It's a really strange feeling. My intention is to stay unless I'm told otherwise."
Police have asked the people evacuated from Whaley Bridge to stay with friends and family - that's exactly what is happening at this household in Chapel-en-le-Frith.
Bev Goodwin has put up her mum Joy, dad Steve and two friends – Susie and Angela.
Joy said: “We have nothing. No clothes, no toothbrush, nothing.
“We have been thinking about what’s in our house that we would miss – all our kids' pictures and of our grandchildren – it’s upsetting.”
Susie said: “It’s just surreal that it’s happening in our town, it’s just bizarre.”
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Resident Mike Breslin has called the evacuation a "crazy situation".
"They never should never have built a school and a social club at the bottom of a dam. It’s madness," he said.
“The response from police has been okay, though a bit over the top at times - things like insisting on escorting people 100m.
“But they’ve done what they’ve had to do, closing roads and dealing with angry lorry drivers yesterday who were asking for directions when they couldn’t get through.”
Richard Baxter took these photos from his garden showing bags of stones filling up the hole in the dam.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
There is no sense of panic in the town.
I've seen a few dog walkers but you can hear the RAF Chinook in the distance helping to avert a potentially fatal disaster.
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
People and businesses from across the country are offering help to those who have been forced to leave their homes in Whaley Bridge.
Image source, FacebookAllow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Image source, FacebookAmy Woodfield
BBC News
A specialist in dam and hydro-power engineering has said the next two days are "critical" for the Whaley Bridge dam.
Alan Warren said it will take days or weeks to make it "completely safe" and residents could face spending "many days" away from their homes.
Image source, Matt ForrestHe said: "All of our dams are designed and certified to withstand highly extreme rainfall events. The problem here is not that the dam has 'over-topped' the crest.
"The problem is that the water that has passed over this spillway has caused damage to the concrete structure itself so it is a specific problem for this dam."
Mr Warren said there will have to be an investigation to see if lessons can be learnt.
RAF helicopters are flying 400 tonnes of stone to protect the dam from bursting.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Sandish Shoker
BBC News
Tim and Julie (and their dog Mr Blue) have moved from their home into their camper van and spent the night in the car park at the Chapel-en-le-Frith evacuation centre.
"There is not a lot we can do, it's just life really, that's the way it goes," said Tim.
"It is quite comfortable here, it's just like camping at the moment."
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
The Canal and Rivers Trust, which manages Toddbrook Reservoir, said water levels are reducing.
Image source, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue ServiceSo far they have dropped by about 200mm (eight inches).
Despite this, the trust said it was still a "critical situation".
BBC Radio 4
We have been told around 11 families have refused to leave the area.
An unnamed couple in Whaley Bridge said: “We live in the middle of Whaley. We couldn’t get back in the car so we had to abandon [it] and walk back into Whaley, pack up the other car with the mother-in-law and the pets. We just fled.
"I managed to take my nightdress and we’ve got the tortoise in the washing up bowl in the car. We’ve just been told we can go and stay at the Palace Hotel at Buxton.
"It’s quite terrifying. If the dam goes, it will take out the whole town.”
One resident is hoping the worst doesn't happen, as it would be "life-changing".
Joy told the BBC: "Whaley is such a tight-knit community anyway and for us all to be evacuated - you're hoping that everyone has got safe and they're not being silly and staying in their houses.
"If that dam goes, the whole village goes - to be perfectly frank.
"It's life-changing for us. We all work in the village. We all live in the village. It would destroy all our lives."
