Synopsis: |
No one who lived through the Great Flood of 2007 will ever forget their experiences. It touched thousands of lives - and brought out the best in people as they joined together in true community spirit to pull them through those dark hours, which claimed the lives of three people, left thousands evacuated and caused millions of pounds of damage in their wake. It was the worst natural disaster ever to hit Sheffield; a once-in-400-years occurrence, said meteorologists. Large areas of Sheffield were under water. Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Chesterfield and Worksop were flooded, as the wettest weekend in the wettest month ever went on to break all rainfall records.The area was virtually cut off from the rest of the country, stranded travellers bedded down for the night alongside commuters and the homeless in temporary accommodation. The River Don burst its banks in Sheffield and Doncaster, the rivers Sheaf, Rother, Hipper and Ryton all flowed into the streets, shops, factories and homes around them, traffic ground to a halt everywhere. But throughout the ordeal and mayhem the spirit of the people of this region shone through.There were heroics and humour, compassion, kindness and acts of great selflessness as we baled out, dug in and saw it through.This unique collection of photographs from the "Sheffield Star" and its sister papers, the front page stories and day-by-day accounts bring back to life the drama of that fateful week in June. Many faced months out of their shops and businesses, and the clean-up will go on for years to come. Some people will never be able to return to their homes. And no one will forget the Great Flood of 2007. |