Whaley Bridge: Residents allowed home

Summary

Emotional scenes as residents return home
All but one cordon lifted
Water levels at Toddbrook Reservoir down to 10%
Council pledges £160,000 of funding to residents and firms
About 30,000 fish removed from the reservoir

Live Reporting

Samantha Fisher

Hairdresser wastes no time reopeningpublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Press Association
Whaley Bridge is back in business, and the first haircut was done moments after the cordon lifted.
Karen Edleston, who decided to get her hair cut as soon as she entered the town for the first time since Thursday, said: "Well, I was desperate to get my hair cut because I'm going to a wedding on Saturday and I didn't know where I would go if I didn't come back here.
"So as soon as I realised it was open, I contacted Julian and he agreed to come down."
Speaking of how it felt to be back in Whaley Bridge, Ms Edleston said: "Very good. It's excellent."
The owner of Adeva hairdressers, Julian Thompson, said he did not know how he would cope if the evacuation had gone on for another week.
He said: "It's been horrendous. It's been a huge, huge worry.
"Not just yourself but all your friends, clients, everybody. It was incredible, the response by everybody... but it's just huge relief now."
He added: "It's been very very difficult. I'm relieved it's only gone on for a week because I was thinking, if it goes on for another week or so, what am I going to do?
"I have staff and I have to pay their wages. A week, I could just about do it - any longer than that and I'm starting to panic.
"But now, I feel like I've got my life back."
Whaley Bridge pub landlady 'relieved and pleased'published at 16:16 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
It could be a VERY busy night for Jennifer Grant.
The landlady at The Goyt Inn is "relieved and pleased" to have been allowed home.
She said: "Thursday seems like a long time ago. It'll be good to catch up with everyone and hear their stories."
Environment Secretary hails patience of communitypublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers has confirmed a thorough assessment of the stability of the dam has taken place, "with safety the utmost priority".
Image source, Defra
In a tweet, external, Ms Villiers thanked emergency services, military personnel, Environment Agency and volunteers.
"I also want to thank the patience of the local community who have so brilliantly rallied together in an extremely challenging situation," she added.
On Saturday, she met with the Environment Agency's emergency response teams who were working to make the dam safe.
Defence Secretary praises Army personnelpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
The partially collapsed dam wall at Toddbrook Reservoir was secured by hundreds of tonnes of aggregate, lifted by an RAF Chinook helicopter.
Now residents have been allowed to return home, the Defence Secretary has praised the work of the armed forces and emergency services.
Image source, PA Media
Ben Wallace said: "Our Royal Air Force and British Army personnel have worked tirelessly alongside the emergency services to ensure that residents can now return to their homes.
"Our armed forces have demonstrated the skills, capacity and professionalism needed to react to challenging circumstances.
"Time and time again, the UK military shows it is able to support the wider public sector in its time of need.
"I want to thank everyone involved for their hard work that has ensured the safety of the community."
'It's so wonderful the town is back open'published at 15:55 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
I spoke to Gena Slater as she was checking her daughter's home - which is within the former exclusion zone - was OK before she returns later.
"It's so wonderful the town is back open again. If the dam had collapsed this house would no longer be here," she said.
Workers checking residents' gas supplypublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Cadent staff are going door-to-door to check everyone's gas is still on.
Residents share a fist pump as cordon liftedpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A pedestrian and driver shared a fist pump celebration as one of the cordons was lifted in Whaley Bridge.
Takeaway owner lost seven days of tradepublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Siu Lok Wong, owner of the Phoenix Takeaway, said he has lost seven days worth of trade as there was too much to sort out to reopen today.
He said: "If we’re not open, we’re not making any money but it’s the same for every business here."
He said he had been in touch with his insurance company and expected to receive a payout for loss of earnings - but suspects it could push his premiums up in the future.
However, he said the main thing was everybody was safe.
PM 'so pleased' evacuation is overpublished at 15:36 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Prime minister Boris Johnson has said he is "so pleased" to hear Whaley Bridge residents are being allowed back into their homes.
Image source, Reuters
A tweet from the 10 Downing Street Twitter account, on behalf of Mr Johnson, said, external: "I want to thank the volunteers, emergency services, armed forces and all who responded with such professionalism and dedication."
Mr Johnson visited the reservoir on Friday - a day after the evacuation took place.
Shop manager hails Whaley Bridge dam 'heroes'published at 15:21 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Anne Leyland (right), manager of the Footsteps community shop, said: "It's so nice to have the town back open again.
"All the people who worked to save the dam are heroes."
MP's excitement at town reopeningpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
"Yee-hah", an excited High Peak MP Ruth George has said on Facebook, external, adding she is "so pleased" people can go back to their homes.
Image source, Ruth George
The Labour MP visited the reservoir earlier and said the water was four metres (13ft) deep with more being pumped out.
She said: "I know the last few days have been so worrying for people but I hope we can now have confidence to return."
Hub to offer help to returning evacueespublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Residents and businesses will be able to go along to a "multi-agency hub" at Whaley Bridge Primary School from this afternoon.
At the hub will be representatives from the local council, police force, utility companies, social care, Environment Agency and mental health services.
It's set to remain in place for the next seven days.
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Wine retailer thanks those who 'saved Whaley'published at 15:08 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Malcolm Swets, manager of Goyt Wines, has told the BBC he wants to thank everyone involved in the emergency effort for the "professional way" they have gone about their business.
He said: "Everyone's had their problems during the disruption, but at the end of the day everybody’s safe and nobody got hurt."
Whaley Bridge dam: People in tearspublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Danny Savage
North of England correspondent
Just before 14:30 this afternoon police lifted the roadblocks around Whaley Bridge.
There wasn’t quite a stampede to get back in, but within 20 minutes traffic was flowing along the Main Street and people were heading back to their businesses and homes.
At least two people I talked to were in tears. Being told to keep away for a week has taken an emotional toll on residents who at various times thought everything they had was about to be swept away.
Whaley Bridge is back open for business.
Police aim to secure future of dampublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Police have said work to secure the future of the dam will now begin.
"Over the coming days and weeks, further work will be completed to ascertain the damage caused to the dam wall and what actions are required for the future," deputy chief constable Rachel Swann said.
Despite more heavy rain being forecast for the coming days, the force said the immediate danger posed to Whaley Bridge, and the areas downstream in the Goyt Valley, has now passed.
Image source, PA Media
Some road closures remainpublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Plans are being put in place to assist the residents of Whaley Bridge in returning home.
While the main road into the town has reopened, there's a warning there may be some delays on the roads and police have asked residents to bear with emergency services and other agencies.
Those gearing up to go home have been warned the A5004 Buxton Road, just north of the junction of Macclesfield Road and Chapel Road, is closed.
Police have also advised avoiding entering Whaley Bridge from the south on this route as well.
Marsh Lane in New Mills is also closed due to utility works.
Image source, PA Media
Cars re-entering Whaley Bridgepublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
There was a brief lull after the main road into Whaley Bridge reopened, but after a few minutes, a row of cars made its way towards the town centre.
A few business owners - including at a wine shop and an Indian takeaway - can be seen re-entering their premises as the town comes back to life after being deserted for the past week following the evacuation.
Whaley happypublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
James Lynn
BBC News, Nottingham
This driver showed his appreciation as one of the roadblocks into the town was finally lifted...
'Hard work and dedication' ensures dam stabilitypublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Derbyshire Police have confirmed enough water has been pumped from Toddbrook Reservoir to ensure the stability of the dam wall.
Deputy chief constable Rachel Swann said: "The hard work and dedication to achieve this has been quite simply incredible and means that I am now able to lift the evacuation order placed on Whaley Bridge and the surrounding area."
Whaley Bridge residents can return homepublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 7 August 2019
Breaking
Liam Barnes
BBC News
Hundreds of Whaley Bridge residents can return home - nearly a week after fears over a damaged dam saw them evacuated.
About 1,500 residents were removed from their homes on Thursday after the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged after heavy rain.
Emergency services worked through the night to repair the wall and lower the water to safe enough levels to allow residents to return. Derbyshire Police thanked families for their patience.