Calder Valley flood sirens sound for 'biggest ever' exercise

Parts of Mytholmroyd were flooded when the River Calder bursts its banks on Boxing Day.

Flood sirens have sounded as the "biggest ever" training exercise has been held in parts of West Yorkshire inundated by flooding in December 2015.

The exercise was carried out in Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Sowerby Bridge, Elland and Brighouse.

About 2,700 homes were flooded along with more than 4,400 businesses in the area in 2015, said Calderdale Council.

Scenarios played for the exercise included a mock rescue of casualties from a sinking canal boat.

Casualties were rescued from the canal boat in Sowerby Bridge

Operation Calderdale16 was its biggest ever live training exercise, the council said.

The Environment Agency has eight flood sirens to warn the upper Calder valley when rivers are expected to flood.

The sirens sounded for about two minutes during the exercise.

A fire service crew taking part in the exercise

The 2015 flood

There was widespread flooding in Sowerby Bridge during the 2015 flood

• About 2,700 homes were flooded along with more than 4,400 businesses in the area, schools, roads and bridges were also damaged

• On the day more than 60mm of rain fall in 24 hours after two months of wet weather and river levels rose rapidly because of the saturated ground

• A study into the impact of the floods found £47m was lost by Calderdale's business economy

• Floods had also hit the Calder valley in 2012, 2013, 2104 and earlier in 2015

• The earliest flood on record - in 1615 - destroyed Elland Bridge

Source: Eye on Calderdale

Hebden Bridge was also badly hit by flood waters