Pensioner, 80, dies in Lancashire lake tragedy as Storm Bert rages across UK
The unnamed man, in his 80s, was recovered by emergency services from water on Cockhill Lane, Colne, where Noyna Ford is located, at 16.15 on Saturday. The man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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BBC News
27-07-2025
- BBC News
Bradford-on-Avon 'not being abandoned' after £11m scheme u-turn
The Environment Agency says it is not abandoning town hit by heavy flooding after scrapping a proposed £11m defence in Wiltshire, was badly flooded in January 2024 before being devastated by Storm Bert in agency said a permanent £11m flood scheme for the town is now "unviable", adding it is committed to "community resilience and better flood warning".Ian Withers, the Environment Agency's area director for Wessex, said: "It would be irresponsible to spend that kind of money that wouldn't necessarily protect the town from the sort of flooding we've seen in the last two years." The River Avon has burst in banks in Bradford-on-Avon on numerous occasions in recent years, flooding nearby roads and Withers added the threat of a flood is "tripled" there because:It has a "huge catchment which drains through the town","Huge volume of water which goes underground, that floods properties from the grounds upwards",And town is in a "steep-sided bowl".The agency said it has ruled out the planned permanent flood scheme, which involved low walls and pumping stations, as prospective costs have more than doubled since it was proposed in 2017. Mr Withers said the "impact of climate change" has also caused the agency to re-think its plans."Originally the plan was valid for the sort of weather we were having associated with the climate, before we started seeing the impact of climate change."Now we know the river can run through that town at the volume, speed and height that it does – we've seen it every winter for the last two of three years – the game's changed. We need to modernise our thinking and put in place a better system."He added: "We're absolutely not abandoning the town or walking away." On Monday hundreds of people attended a special event held to provide information on how to protect homes and businesses from flooding in event was organised by the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council and Wessex Water.
Wales Online
14-07-2025
- Wales Online
Council considers buying flood-risk homes and moving occupants out
Council considers buying flood-risk homes and moving occupants out RCT Council has said it will engage with residents of 16 houses in Clydach Terrace, Ynysybwl, to discuss their future needs, after Natural Resources Wales said a flood defence scheme was not viable. Clydach Terrace In Ynysybwl where NRW had been considering a couple of options for flood risk works (Image: Google ) Voluntary acquisition of properties by the council and help with relocating residents could be considered for houses at risk of river flooding in a south Wales street if needed. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has said it is going to work with residents at risk of river flooding in Clydach Terrace, Ynysybwl, to assess their housing and wellbeing needs after Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said a flood defence scheme was not viable. The local authority has agreed to start engagement with the residents of numbers 1 to 16 Clydach Terrace, Ynysybwl (excluding 6a and 6b). This will inform a future decision by the council as to whether it uses any of its statutory or discretionary powers to intervene. The council said this engagement was proposed due to the significant ongoing risk to health, safety and property from river flooding and the decision by Natural Resources Wales (the responsible flood risk management authority) that a flood defence scheme to protect the properties was not viable. £4.5m is to be spent on these streets after Storm Dennis and Storm Bert flooding A council report said numbers 1 to 16 Clydach Terrace, Ynysybwl (excluding 6a and 6b) were at high river flood risk from the Nant Clydach. Article continues below During Storm Dennis in February, 2020, the 16 homes were rapidly inundated with flood water with internal flooding up to 1.96m in depth. Further flooding was experienced during Storm Bert in November, 2024 and residents of Clydach Terrace continue to live with the heightened fear of further flooding incidents, the report says. To get all the latest Rhondda news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is the flood risk management authority in this instance and in June, 2025, it published its Ynysybwl Flood Risk Management Outline Business Case. This looked at several possible flood risk management solutions for Clydach Terrace, including the construction of a raised flood defence wall. But the assessment found that this was not an economically viable option under UK and Welsh Government funding rules for flood risk management purposes. You can read more about that here. The report said residents of Clydach Terrace continued to live with the ongoing flood risk in the knowledge that there was no viable proposal available to protect their homes. Article continues below Given the significant risk to health presented and danger to life in this area and the recent decision by NRW, it was proposed that the council engage with the residents and owners of the 16 homes affected by flooding at Clydach Terrace to assess their future housing and wellbeing needs. The council said this would allow a fully informed report to a future cabinet on any further assistance the council might be able to offer residents, which might include the potential voluntary acquisition of their properties by the council and relocation assistance if needed.
South Wales Argus
08-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Assurances on inspections given on coal tip in Blaenau Gwent
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council's Economic Development and Environment Management scrutiny committee on Tuesday, July 8, councillors received a briefing on the draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for the next five years. Infrastructure services manager Kevin Kinsey explained the council's areas of responsibility as one of the authorities that is tasked to deal with flooding incidents. Within the document disused coal tips are mentioned – this is because of the risk that their stability could 'fail' in periods of heavy rain. This happened last November, when 40 homes had to be evacuated during Storm Bert as heavy rain caused a landslide from an old coal tip near Cwmtillery. Mr Kinsey told councillors that there are 129 disused coal tips in Blaenau Gwent and the council 'owns and maintains' 53 of them, which includes the one in Cwmtillery. Cllr Wayne Hodgins (Independent) wanted some clarification on coal tips. 'It's quite alarming that they are our responsibility,' said Cllr Hodgins. Mr Kinsey explained that the council has an 'inspection regime' in place and maintenance work is funded by the Welsh Government. Cllr Hodgins said: 'That does put a large strain on our resources, there may need to be a review of how we manage those tips with the limited resources we have in house.' Mr Kinsey said that the Welsh Government had provided the coal tip safety grant to fund maintenance work in the aftermath of the Tylerstown coal tip landslide in 2020. Mr Kinsey said: 'We've been able to undertake a lot of work, and we spent just under £2 million in tip maintenance across our tips plus private tips as well, if we feel it's justified. 'In terms of our physical resource it is very limited we are only a very small team. 'Be assured that these inspections are undertaken and where maintenance work that needs to be done it is undertaken.' Cllr Sonia Behr (Labour) asked if private owners were charged for inspections and for work to be carried out on their disused tip? Mr Kinsey said: 'We don't charge, it's Welsh Government funding. 'Under the coal tip maintenance programme, funding will be made available to private landowners that has to be directed or undertaken by the local authority.' Councillors agreed the draft strategy which will go before a future meeting of the Labour Cabinet for a decision.
