Residents and businesses count the cost as flood waters from Storm Babet subside in Lincolnshire

Flood warnings remained in place in some areas of Lincolnshire this morning (Sunday) and highways and emergency service officials were monitoring the situation closely.

Lincolnshire saw the equivalent of two months’ worth of rain falling in less than 24 hours.

Residents who were evacuated have been advised they can return to their homes this afternoon.

Around 25 roads were still closed this morning, despite the rain from Storm Babet having stopped 24 hours before. At its peak up to 150 roads were blocked or closed.

A county council statement this morning said: “We are reviewing these closures and – where we can – taking them down to free up routes. Please do not drive through road closures; they are there for a reason. Some previous closures have been lifted where the routes are now passable with care.

“Our officers are still attending hundreds of spots around Lincolnshire, doing their best to get roads open wherever possible. In the past 36 hours we’ve dealt with 454 jobs. A record amount.

“We’ve already been able to reopen a lot of roads, our list of those closed is constantly being updated but – with the situation changing so fast – there may well be roads reopened before we hear about them. If you see closure signs being lifted by our officers, or the police, please still take great care getting about.”

Worst affected areas were Woodhall, Wainfleet, Horncastle and Market Rasen. Farms were marooned and the Tesco store at Horncastle was surrounded by flood water.

Residential and business properties were flooded in numerous other locations too such as Ruskington where the High Street and adjoining side streets were flooded when the Beck overflowed and the railway station had to be closed when the line was flooded. One man was even spotted canoeing down the High Street. Residents have now emerged to clean up the mess and and remove the sandbags.

Ruskington Parish Council put out a message yesterday saying: “We would like to thank everyone from near and far who helped our community during the flooding yesterday. It is very much appreciated. RPC hopes that everyone is safe and dry today.”

Parts of Holdingham near Sleaford were also badly affected and the A15 between Holdingham and Leasingham was closed at 7pm on Friday evening because of flooding on the road.

Field Beck, also known as Holdingham Beck, overflowed on Friday morning. One property on the roundabout near Hockmeyer’s Garage was flooded immediately. The Fire and Rescue Service sent fire engines to pump out the property but they were fighting a losing battle all day as the beck continued to rise.

Local councillor Robert Oates said: “I spent the morning knocking on doors along the length of the beck to alert residents to the rising waters and advising them to put plastic sheeting and sandbags against doorways and airbricks.

“By the afternoon the flood waters were up to the back of the council bungalows in Birchwood Road, where many elderly and disabled people live. I myself had to go and buy plastic sheets and bags of sand and put them against the back doors of the bungalows most at risk.

“Unfortunately, by the end of the afternoon three more properties at the lower end of the beck were flooded, one from the beck and two from water pouring off the Holdingham Grange Phase 2 building site behind them.”

Coun Oates added: “At the next meeting of North Kesteven District Council I will be asking for an emergency system to be put in place to give immediate, practical help to elderly and disabled NKDC tenants at imminent risk of flooding.”

East Midlands Railway has stated that services on its Nottingham to Skegness line will not run until Monday now.

Lincoln to Grimsby services will also not resume until Monday.

Services on the Lincoln to Peterborough remain suspended until further notice. The flooded tracks have now cleared at Ruskington station but safety checks were now needed before it could reopen.