"People can't keep living like this" - Storm Christoph prompts fresh calls for new flood defences
South Yorkshire had a lucky escape from flooding this week
After a week of nerves for communities along the River Don, there are renewed calls for the government to fund new flood defences for South Yorkshire.
Our county had a lucky escape from Storm Christoph this week with some river levels reaching breaking point but no widespread property flooding across the county.
It's reignited calls for better protection for Doncaster, more than a year after it was left devastated by flooding.
Jane Nightingale's local councillor for Bentley which was flooded last winter and in 2007.
She says people there are on edge every time the river rises:
"We need to get the funding. The government need to fund this. Don't just keep coming to visit us, saying we can have this bit of money. We need proper serious funding so that this river does not keep doing what it does.
"My personal opinion is that politics don't come in to it - it's people's homes. Whether you're a caravan, whether you're a house, whether you're a flat, whether you're a bungalow. I've always said that since 2019 when discussions have gone on: these are homes to people.
"A lot of people want to see the river dredged. The Enviornment Agency say they can't do that - they keep checking the speed, depth and flow of it. But there must be something they can do. People can't keep living like this."
Hundreds of homes and businesses in South Yorkshire were flooded in November 2019, with parts of Doncaster like Bentley and Fishlake worst affected.
Ever since, Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis has been pushing for more flood protection for South Yorkshire, with a flood summit being held last October.
Jenny Barlow from the Environment Agency says a lot of work's been done since last winter:
"We've been working with all the communities that were devastated last time and working really hard with Doncaster Council and other partner organisations to deliver a £12 million repair and improvement programme with our flood defences in Doncaster.
"We've been working really well together to make sure that we are better prepared for events like this - with our defences, with community flood plans, with our flood warning service, so that we can be really well prepared for when extreme weather like this happens."
A spokesperson for the Department for Enviornment, Food and Rural Affairs said:
“Flooding has a devastating impact on people’s lives. Our thoughts are with those affected, and the Environment Agency continues to work closely with partners supporting affected communities in Yorkshire and taking action to reduce the potential impacts of flooding.
“Since 2015, we’ve invested more in flood defences for Yorkshire than any other region – with £496 million being spent to better protect more than 66,000 properties. Looking ahead, we are investing a record £5.2 billion over six years in 2,000 new flood defences, and the Environment Agency is working with local representatives in Yorkshire on allocations.”