Tadcaster floods caused by overflowing drains

Emergency services used pumps to clear the water on Tuesday night

The main street in Tadcaster flooded after blocked drains overflowed with rainwater on Tuesday night.

Tadcaster's Flood Action Group said overflowing drains were to blame as the river's water levels had been low at the time due to the long dry spell.

Bridge Street reopened early Wednesday morning after emergency services used pumps to drain away the flood water.

North Yorkshire County Council said a blockage in the system combined with heavy rainfall may have caused it.

Karl Battersby, the council's director of business and environmental services, said gullies in the Bridge Street area were last cleaned on 14 June and no problems were recorded.

He said the level of rainfall should not have caused flash flooding, adding: "Initial views are that there was a blockage in the system, which combined with the short but heavy rainfall led to the surface water flooding.

"As soon as the investigation is complete, we will feed back the findings and the steps that are being taken."

Tadcaster's MP Nigel Adams had earlier called for an investigation into the flooding and said: "It is simply not acceptable that the main road through the centre of Tadcaster floods in this way, especially when the river is at an exceptionally low level."

Tadcaster's MP Nigel Adams has called for an investigation into the flooding

North Yorkshire Councillor Kristy Poskitt said: "This isn't a new problem, it has happened again and again. The drains make the town even more vulnerable when the river levels rise but they also mean that rainfall can quickly back up and cause problems.

"I will be pursuing this tomorrow to find out what more can be done."

On Tuesday the National Drought Group met to discuss if any further actions would need to be taken to preserve water supply across England, including a potential hosepipe ban.

North Yorkshire County Council's corporate director of business and environmental services, Karl Battersby, said: "In terms of yesterday's event, the level of rainfall should not have led to flash flooding. Yorkshire Water are investigating the cause of the problems around Bridge Street, and we will work with them to understand why this occurred.

"Initial views are that there was a blockage in the system, which combined with the short but heavy rainfall led to the surface water flooding. As soon as the investigation is complete, we will feed back the findings and the steps that are being taken."