Body of woman, 55, found after she was swept away by flood water

The family of Yvonne Booth, right, pictured with her late husband
West Mercia Police
Jacob Jarvis|Tim Baker17 February 2020

The body of a woman swept away by flood water has been found, police confirmed.

The woman, named as 55-year-old Yvonne Booth from Great Barr in Birmingham, was swept away in Tenbury, Worcestershire on Sunday.

Her family said in a statement: “Yvonne is a very much loved member of our family and we are all devastated by this news.”

“We appreciate the continued support from the emergency services. We would like to ask for our privacy at this time.”

Storm Dennis - in pictures

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Chief Superintendent Tom Harding from West Mercia Police added: “We are sad to report that a body has been found during our search and rescue operation in Tenbury.

“Whilst formal identification has not yet taken place we believe this to be Yvonne, who tragically was swept into flood water on Sunday. Specially trained officers have given her family this terrible news and are supporting them.”

It comes following a second successive weekend of storms battering the British Isles.

Storm Dennis came a week after Storm Ciara, with both being linked to deaths.

Two men died in Ciara, one in Micheldever, Hampshire and the other in Liverpool.

A man in his 60s died in Ystradgynlais, Wales, on Sunday after falling into the River Tawe, but this is not being linked to the bad weather.

The search for Ms Booth had earlier been changed from a rescue to a recovery after being suspended overnight.

Around 400 properties have been left underwater
Getty Images

Superintendent Harding confirmed that a man had been rescued from the river as part of the same incident, and was being treated in hospital.

The bad weather is set to continue for some parts of the UK, with weather warnings for snow in place over Scotland for the beginning of this week, and Wales bracing for more rain on Wednesday and Thursday.

Communities across the country are counting the cost of the weekend’s storm which has left more than 400 properties flooded.

Among the worst affected areas were South Wales, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire where major incidents were declared.

Around 1,000 staff were on duty, with 5km of flood barriers deployed and 90 pumps in action, the EA said.

It warned the flood risk continues, with further heavy rain forecast in the north of England for Wednesday and Thursday, possibly falling on already flooded areas.

West Mercia Police said residents in Upton upon Severn and Uckinghall, in Worcestershire, are being advised to evacuate, with water levels expected to rise on Monday evening.

Emergency evacuations were also under way in Hereford, where the River Wye reached its highest level on record.

The aftermath of the storm caused transport disruption on Monday, as train lines and roads were blocked by flooding and fallen trees.

The AA said nationally it had attended more than 400 vehicles stuck in water or mud over the weekend, more than double that under Storm Ciara a week ago.

Hereford residents were advised that flooding could trigger periodic power cuts and some roads were closed.

The Prime Minister resisted calls to chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency committee, Cobra, to tackle the flooding crisis, despite criticism from the Labour Party.

Luke Pollard, shadow environment secretary, said it was a “disgrace” that Boris Johnson had “refused” to visit affected communities.

Asked why Mr Johnson was not making personal visits, a Number 10 spokesman said he was receiving regular updates and that Environment Secretary George Eustice was leading on the issue.

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