RAF Ends Three-Day Operation To Stop Lincolnshire Flooding

The RAF has ended a three-day mission to stop a flood in Lincolnshire that has caused hundreds of people to be evacuated from their homes.

Residents from a total of 580 homes in the Wainfleet area have been advised to leave their homes after the River Steeping burst its banks earlier this week.

The Royal Air Force was called in on Thursday evening to start repairing the breach.

On Friday alone, three Chinooks and a Puma dropped 270 tonnes of gravel over the breach, supported by troops on the ground including Army personnel.

One Chinook from RAF Odiham continued to help stop the flow of water on Saturday, dropping a further 76 tonnes of gravel.

Jean Hart, who served in the Women's Royal Naval Service, is among those who have had to leave her home as it is under five feet of water.

"It's just horrendous, I haven't seen anything like it," she said.

The flooding came after Wainfleet suffered two months’ worth of rain in just two days.

The Environment Agency described the flood as an "unprecedented" event. 

It was a multi-combined task force, involving military, police, fire brigade, Environment Agency and emergency services.

Over the next few days, they will be closely monitoring the flood defences as an amber weather warning has been put in place for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Paul Lockhart, from the Environment Agency, said: "the forecast doesn't look good.

"We're preparing for the worst."

The RAF will remain on standby, ready to deploy back to Wainfleet at a moments notice.