RAF called in after river bursts its banks following more heavy rain across UK

Military helicopters have been drafted in to help emergency services in Lincolnshire after a river burst its banks following heavy rain which has battered the UK this week.

• Military helicopters delpoyed to Lincolnshire after the River Steeping burst its banks
• 1-tonne bags of gravel are being dropped on the town of Wainfleet All Saints
• Lincolnshire County Council warns up to 720 could be affected after the town had more than two months of rain in just two days
• 13 flood warnings and 46 flood alerts were in place on Friday afternoon, with the majority across the Midlands and North West
• In Northamptonshire, a landlside stopped an East Midlands Train from London to Nottingham and then a second train that came to help also became stuck
• Around 400 passengers were stranded for up to eight hours before being evacuated

A Chinook was deployed to drop sand in the town of Wainfleet All Saints to try and stop the flow of water from the River Steeping and a Puma is also being used.

A joint RAF and Army unit are flying in almost 70 one-tonne bags of gravel as the Ministry of Defence said it will continue to assist with urgent repairs.

70 properties were hit by flooding, but Lincolnshire County Council warned up to 720 could be affected after the town had more than two months’ of rain in just two days.

13 flood warnings and 46 flood alerts were in place on Friday afternoon, with the majority across the Midlands and North West.

As of 12 June, Britain has seen total rainfall of 2.6 inches (6cm) since the beginning of the month, but that is not a record amount.

The Met Office says June 2012 remained the wettest ever with 5.9 inches (15cm).

Spokesman Grahame Madge said: “Although we are at a point where some areas have seen their full amounts of monthly rain, so far we don’t think we’re on track to beat the 2012 record as a wet June”.

“It’s something we do get now and again, which is obviously unwelcome for those people who have wanted to enjoy nicer weather.”

Elsewhere, a landslip near Corby, Northamptonshire, stopped an East Midlands Train from London to Nottingham – and then a second train that came to help also became stuck.

Around 400 passengers were stranded for up to eight hours before being evacuated and one person was treated at the scene in an ambulance by paramedics.

The train operator apologised to customers involved, calling it a “challenging situation” due to rubble and serious flooding hampering rescue efforts.

It also said it was “working hard” to reunite people with their luggage, which it says it being safely held in Kettering.

Forecasters predict more showers over the weekend but say conditions are expected to settle down and it will become milder.

Warmer air building over Europe will see higher temperatures in parts of the South East next week, with the potential of sunny spells hitting the mid-20s.

The Met Office says no further weather warnings have been issued.

(c) Sky News 2019: RAF called in after river bursts its banks following more heavy rain across UK