Cut off by the floods: Farm is completely stranded as River Eau bursts its banks after torrential downpours and Britain braces for two weeks' worth of rain on Thursday

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A farm was dramatically cut off by floodwater today after a river in Lincolnshire burst its banks following torrential downpours - as Britain braces for two weeks' worth of rain on Thursday. 

Henry Ward's farmhouse and outbuildings have been left surrounded by water after the Barlings Eau, a river near Lincoln, burst its banks, joining 1,000 acres of farmland in the county that is already under water.

Today he begged for help from the Environment Agency, urging them to 'plug a hole' in nearby flood defences to stop the deluge. 

'I'd just like a plan going forward, what's going to happen in the short term,' he said. 'The breach, it's still open, it's still flooding our land now. We'd just like to know when they're going to plug the hole.' 

Almost 40 flood warnings remain in place as more torrential rain is forecast over South Yorkshire and the East Midlands - where 400 homes have already been deluged and 1,600 evacuated. 

This evening, the prime minister announced more support for communities that had been affected by the flooding, following an emergency Cobra meeting.  

Boris Johnson said £2,500 would be made available to businesses affected by flooding, while an additional 100 Armed Forces personnel will be deployed to help the recovery effort. 

Henry Ward's farmhouse and outbuildings were left surrounded by water  today after the Barlings Eau, a river near Lincoln, burst its banks. Around 1,000 acres of farmland in the county is already under water

Despite the huge downpour, Mr Ward believes the Environment Agency, which manages the Barlings Eau, could do more to help. Pictured today is a flooded road that used to lead to his farm

Mr Ward said: 'I'd just like a plan going forward, what's going to happen in the short term. The breach, it's still open, it's still flooding our land now. We'd just like to know when they're going to plug the hole'

The weather forecast above shows that rain is present for the next three days across the country, with some sunny spells in the south today

Speaking afterwards, Mr Johnson said the country had to 'prepare for more floods' this winter because the ground is so waterlogged.

He said: 'The worry for me is that there are some people who are continuing not to listen to the advice of the emergency services.

'I would just say to people - the emergency services do have sound advice. When they advise you to evacuate, you should do so.'

Responding to Mr Ward's comments on flood defences, the Environment Agency said earlier they were monitoring the situation and added: 'We will be working with the Internal Drainage Board to develop a plan to pump the water back into the surrounding river channels.' 

Parts of South Yorkshire and the East Midlands have been hit by more than 15 inches of rainfall in recent days - 45 per cent of the average for autumn.      

Britain is rallying behind people affected by heavy flooding, with Tesco sending hundreds of food parcels to victims as an fundraising campaign reached nearly £90,000.

But there was anger in the village of Fishlake, near Doncaster, where residents were given a 'severe warning' a whole five hours after their homes flooded. 

Meanwhile, up to 10cm of snow is expected in parts of Scotland from tomorrow evening, with 4cm flurries also possible in the north east of England and the Peak District, where about 1cm is forecast. 

However, the exact path of the weather front that could bring the snowfall remains uncertain. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a chair a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee later today in response to the emergency. 

The latest area to be hit by flooding is the village of Fishlake, near Doncaster, which has largely become submerged by water.

Four Environment Agency pumps are in the village to try and relieve residents, who are using boats and tractors to navigate the streets. 

There were claims of council bungling after residents  were only issued with a 'severe warning' five hours after their homes became submerged by water.  

Piles of soiled furniture today at a house in Fishlake, Doncaster, where floodwaters have got into numerous homes and ruined their contents 

Andy Beaglehole, 56, and his family have been left devastated after watching the floodwater in Fishlake slowly consume their home

Mr Beaglehole's 12-year-old son, Harry, standing inside his newly-decorated bedroom at the family home in Fishlake, Doncaster 

A view of the sodden sitting room, where the wooden floor and furniture have been damaged. The flood waters can still be seen out in the front garden 

A resident is pulled through floodwaters by a rescuer in Fishlake, where hundreds of had to evacuate their homes today 

Jayden Waite moves a floating bale in the flooding at Bay Villa Farm in Fishlake. His family run a firm that produces hay and straw 

An aerial photo taken by a drone of Bay Villa Farm in Fishlake, showing how floodwaters have engulfed the property 

Hundreds of sodden bales of straw may now have to be disposed of by the business, which is located just outside the village of Fishlake 

The extreme weather has resulted in unusual scenes near Mr Ward's farm, including this boat weathered near a set of traffic lights on a flooded road 

A sign on a road that used to lead to farmer Henry Ward's land pokes out from the floodwaters that flowed in after the nearby river burst its banks 

The stables of Bransby Horses, an animal rescue charity in Lincolnshire, were flooded in recent days. They are appealing for the public's help 

The Met Office published the above weather graph which shows the weather for the morning rush hour today across the country

Flood warnings are in place across the country today, with Yorkshire and the East Midlands the worst affected areas

A caravan site near the Barlings Eau appears to have just missed the floodwaters that deluged the area after the river burst its banks 

Mr Ward's farm house and barns are seen in the centre of this photograph - amid a mass of floodwater standing several feet deep 

Around 400 homes have been flooded and 1,600 properties evacuated in recent days, including at Fishlake in Doncaster, where cars are seen submerged in water 

'We don't expect to return for a year': New couple whose baby was born just hours after their home filled with floodwater face a long wait to go back

Dan Greenslade and Jade Croft  - pictured with their baby Indie, only moved into their Fishlake end of terrace three weeks ago, after spending £5,000 on renovations

A couple whose baby was born just hours before their house was filled with floodwater don't expect to be able to return to their home for an entire years. 

Dan Greenslade and Jade Croft only moved into their Fishlake end of terrace three weeks ago, after spending £5,000 on renovations.

They were still at hospital after the birth of first born Indie when the property's ground floor became submerged by floodwater on Friday. 

Marketing manager Mr Greenslade, 34, has not yet been allowed in to see the damage but he has seen inside his neighbour's house, which is 'ruined'.

'I'll definitely go into my house expecting worst,' he said. 'The water will have gone up to at least knee height so everything on the ground floor will be ruined.

'I haven't been told officially but I think we'll be out the house for a year.'

Mr Greenslade, his partner, and four-day-old Indie are now living in Ms Croft's mother's house in nearby Hatfield.

The couple hope to meet their insurance company within the next week to arrange alternative accommodation while their Fishlake property is restored.

Mr Greenslade said: 'We were looking forward to taking the little one back to the house and spending our first Christmas there as a family.

'We're really sad that we won't be able to do that now.'

Like many other Fishlake residents, Mr Greenslade has expressed frustration with the local authority for their slow response to the emergency.

'It seems like people weren't warned about what was going to happen, which meant they weren't prepared for the worst,' he said.

'I was at hospital on Friday but I was checking social media and there weren't any urgent notices or anything.'

Fortunately Mr Greenslade insured his new house for flood damage. 

The couple hope to meet their insurance company within the next week to arrange alternative accommodation while their Fishlake property (pictured) is restored

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Doncaster Council issued the alert for Fishlake on social media on Saturday at 1:45am - despite homeowners being deluged with water hours earlier on Friday evening.

One angry resident, Andy Beaglehole, even claimed on Saturday morning council officials in the area told his teenage son 'not to worry' because 'the worst was over'.

After having his anxiety eased the 56-year-old watched on in horror as the water levels in his family home continued to rise unexpectedly throughout the day.

Football coach Andy, whose bungalow is ruined, slammed the local authority for their 'painfully slow' response to the emergency.

'If the council had given us just six, or even only two or three, hours warning then we would have had time to prepare,' he said.

'There was nothing on social media, no phone call or knock at the door to tell us what was about to happen.

'One minute we were at home thinking everything was going to be fine and the next minute the whole house was full of water.

'I refuse to believe that the council couldn't have prepared us better for something which they must have seen coming.

'I believe this whole disaster was foreseeable and preventable - that's the most frustrating thing.'  

Doncaster was one of many towns across the country affected by devastating flooding in 2007.

Andy, who was hit by the disaster 12 years ago, says Doncaster Council still 'haven't learned their lesson'.

His house was flooded with water on Friday evening but the council didn't provide sandbags until the next day - after the property had been flooded, he said.

'It was all just too little too late,' the 56-year-old added. 'Now five days later you've got politicians talking about it and turning up to lift a few sandbags and take a photo.

'The whole thing is being used for political gain.'

Andy and his wife, housewife Christine, 47, have taken refuge in a friends' caravan while their children, Oliver, 17, and 12-year-old Harry are staying with friends.

Sixth form student Oliver said: 'I spoke to council workers out on the street and they told me there was nothing to worry about.

'We trusted what they said but now I feel like we were lied to, it seems like they were making it up as they went along.'

Andy says he has 'no idea' when him and his family will be able to return home.

Meanwhile, villages in Fishlake and elsewhere are receiving support from Tesco, which has handed out hundreds of emergency foot parcels. 

A spokesman told MailOnline: 'We always want to support the communities we serve, especially so in difficult times. 

'Our store teams have provided donations to the British Red Cross and have been working with the Salvation Army. We're thinking of everyone who has been affected by the floods.' 

Last night, an RAF Chinook helicopter last night airlifted stones to help strengthen flood defences in Bentley, one of the worst hit areas of Doncaster.

They were called upon to move tonnes of aggregate to provide a raised access at to allow an Environment Agency field team to shore up the defences. Overall 40 tonnes of aggregate was moved in 10 shuttles.

Extreme weather also hit North Wales, where 60 mph wins combined with a full moon tide to create dangerous conditions on the coast road at Old Colwyn in Conwy 

Large tractors have proved the best way of moving through Fishlake because deep flood waters have made car travel almost impossible 

Huge pumps were set up this afternoon to remove floodwaters from badly affected areas of Yorkshire following recent torrential rain 

The pumps, pictured today, are part of relief efforts put in place by the Environment Agency to help stricken farmers and residents 

Police with rescue equipment wade through floodwater to find people caught in floodwater near Fishlake this morning

A car floats through a flooded field near Fishlake as recovery efforts continue. Four Environment Agency pumps are in the village to try and relieve residents

A man walks through floodwater in Fishlake. Four Environment Agency pumps have been set up in the village to try and relieve residents

Residents were using boats and tractors to get around Fishlake this morning, while this man resorted to some old fashioned Wellington boots 

Rescued teams carrying specialist equipment were at work in Fishlake today to help any residents who had become stranded 

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson was seen today meeting people affected by the flooding in Stainforth, South Yorkshire 

The East Midlands and Lincolnshire are also affected, with warnings around Nottingham and south of Lincoln 

The highest concentration of flood warnings is around Doncaster, South Yorkshire after the River Don burst its banks

A road called Dirty Lane in Doncaster today after being inundated with water. More heavy rain is expected in parts of the Midlands and South Yorkshire, according to the Environment Agency 

A flooded street in Doncaster. The Environment Agency has issued 30 flood warnings and five severe warnings on the nearby River Don

A car driving through Fishlake this morning, where emergency teams were out in force to help people stranded by the flooding 

A sign bearing an image of a duck and the word 'slow' is pictured in Doncaster today, where many streets remained under water 

A police van parked in flood water in Fishlake, where many people were resorting to boats and tractors to move around the streets 

Today, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged the PM to 'take personal charge' of the situation, writing in a letter: 'If this had happened in Surrey, not Yorkshire or the East Midlands, it seems far more likely that a national emergency would have been declared.'

However, he was quickly accused of 'politicising flood victims' misery' for electoral gain. 

Some residents in affected areas have been rescued by boat while military helicopters have been deployed to help boost flood defences.

The Environment Agency has 38 flood warnings in place as well as five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire. 

Meanwhile, the Met Office is warning more bad weather is on its way, with 60mm of rain forecast for Thursday.  

Rail services and major roads throughout South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire continue to be affected.

An RSPCA rescue operation to save 60 swans stranded in polluted floodwater was launched yesterday and continues this morning.

On Friday, Derbyshire's former High Sherriff Annie Hall was swept to her death by floodwater.

Her body was recovered from the rain-swollen River Derwent two miles downstream of where she was swept from.        

Flood waters cover the front garden of a house in Fishlake, with a children's playground covered with dirty water and debris 

Residents will face weeks of recovery work following the flooding, including the owners of this partially submerged car in Fishlake, Doncaster 

A house in the Fishlake area of Doncaster surrounded by floodwaters, which stand just a few inches lower than the front entrance 

Opposition slam Government's 'woeful' response to the flooding - but Jeremy Corbyn is accused of 'politicising' people's suffering for his own electoral gain 

Opposition leaders have branded the Government's response to the severe flooding hitting parts of the country as 'woeful' and accused it of not taking it seriously enough.

Severe flooding hit several areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands last week, with parts around the River Don near Doncaster worst affected after the river burst its banks.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn branded the government's response as 'woeful' while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said it was not taking it as seriously enough.

Jeremy Corbyn attempted to make political capital out of the floods yesterday, saying Boris Johnson should have called a Cobra meeting earlier

Twitter users have criticised Jeremy Corbyn for politicising the floods in the middle of the election campaign

Mr Corbyn claimed that if the flooding had happened in Surrey in the South East, it 'would have been a very different story'.

He said Mr Johnson had only called a Cobra meeting on Tuesday after he had written to the Prime Minister demanding one.

Speaking at a rally in Blackpool, Mr Corbyn added: 'More than a thousand homes have been evacuated and one woman, Annie Hall, has lost her life. Our hearts go out to her family and friends.

'The Conservative government's response to the floods has been woeful.

'If this had happened in Surrey instead of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, I think it would have been a very different story.

'When terrible floods struck the South in 2014, David Cameron rightly said: 'Money is no object in this relief effort. Whatever money is needed, we will spend it'.

'This time, Boris Johnson waited five days before calling a Cobra meeting - and only after I wrote to him demanding it.

'We now need a guarantee from the Government that the Bellwin money is made immediately available to local government.'

The government's emergency Bellwin scheme reimburses councils for costs they incur during a response to flooding, for items such as rest centres, temporary accommodation and staff overtime.

Annie Hall, the former high sheriff of Derbyshire, died after she was swept away by water on Friday in Darley Dale, near Matlock.

Mr Corbyn speaking at an election campaign event in Blackpool today 

Mr Corbyn will return to south Yorkshire to meet families and volunteers on Tuesday afternoon.

Downpours last week meant several areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day.

Around half the 700 residents of Fishlake, near Doncaster, left the village and those who stayed behind have faced waist-high floods.

Visiting Fishlake on Tuesday, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson accused the Government of not taking it as seriously as it should.

She added: 'It should be declaring a national emergency so they can open up the ability to apply to the EU for the emergency funds that are available at times of extreme floods.

'They are not yet doing that and they should be doing that.'

She said the party's policy of spending £5 billion on flood defences was necessary, particularly as the climate emergency would make such events more common.

The Environment Agency said it had more than 200 staff on the ground in south Yorkshire supporting communities affected by the 'devastating flooding'.

But it warned the flood risk remained high, with heavier bands of rainfall expected on Thursday and Friday.

Five severe flood warnings from the Environment Agency remain in place around Doncaster, warning of a danger to life in the areas around the River Don at Bentley, Fishlake, Kirk Bramwith, South Bramwith and Willow Bridge Caravan Site.

Twenty-nine flood warnings are in place across the country, with 12 around the River Don.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain in south Wales and parts of the south west on Wednesday and the Midlands, parts of Wales and the south east on Thursday.

'If this had happened in Surrey, not Yorkshire or the East Midlands, it seems far more likely that a national emergency would have been declared,' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote, adding that he disagreed with the PM's assessment at the weekend that the flooding was not a national emergency. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced he will chair a meeting of the Government's emergency committee today - but Mr Corbyn said the meeting would have happened 'five days ago' if the flooding had been in the south. 

Mr Corbyn's critics have accused him of 'politicising' the issue in the run up to the election.

Twitter user Kimberly Hornsby tweeted: 'The only national emergency is YOU!! Politicising the floods now, desperate man!'

Jo Swinson, seen meeting volunteer Rosie Squires, said: 'It's incredibly powerful to hear what people in this community of Stainforth have been saying about the work they have been doing, the volunteering, the hours that they have been putting in to help their friends and neighbours in Fishlake and other places nearby that have been devastated by the flooding'

Richard Ross added: 'This is Jeremy Corbyn politicising these terrible floods. Disgraceful. These are local, very serious disasters but not national. Look up the word in the dictionary.'  

In his letter to Mr Johnson, Mr Corbyn wrote: 'We need full assurance from the Government that every resource is being utilised to aid those that need it and protect against future potential floods.

'With dozens of flood warnings still in place, I have to disagree with your assessment from the weekend that this is not a national emergency.

'If this had happened in Surrey, not Yorkshire or the East Midlands, it seems far more likely that a national emergency would have been declared. Every year we don't act means higher flood waters, more homes ruined and more lives at risk due to climate change.'

A senior Tory source dismissed the idea that the PM had summoned Cobra following Mr Corbyn's letter.

'Cobra had already been put in motion. You only have to look at the scale of the government response to know this attack line is not true,' the source said. 

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The driver of a Land Rover struggles along flooded roads in Fishlake, where several feet of water was still on the ground today 

The area has been hit by more than 15 inches of rainfall in recent days - 45 per cent of the average for autumn. On Thursday, almost an entire month's worth of rain fell. Pictured are floodwaters near Fishlake 

Floodwaters in fields around Fishlake have also submerged the village itself, leaving residents relying on boats and tractors to get around 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a chair a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee later today in response to the emergency