Floods: Muchelney Locals Angry As Village Cut Off

By Alex Rossi, Sky News Correspondent

Residents stranded in a village in Somerset surrounded by floodwaters are demanding the Environment Agency dredges the nearby river to stop the problem from happening again.

For the last eight days Muchelney has been cut off from the world - it is now an island.

All of the roads connecting the village are submerged under as much as six feet of water and the only way in and out is by boat.

Angela Wilson-Ward says no one is helping them in what is a disaster.

The village is cut-off by floodwaters

She told Sky News: "You get very cross because nothing's been done.

"The rivers have not been dredged for 20-odd years and it is always an excuse because there's no money.

"But that's all well and good but if this was another country they would find the money to go and rescue them."

The village is a bump on the Somerset Levels. People living in houses at the top are dry but residents at the bottom have been inundated by a tide of filthy floodwater.

A car submerged by feet of water in one of the village's roads

Nick Studley had nearly renovated his thatched cottage after it flooded last year. He was about to move back in but weeks of heavy rain meant the waters returned first.

He said: "It is always devastating but what can you do. You just have to get on with it and do your best."

Fire and rescue teams have started ferrying residents to the mainland for supplies and the school run.

But with more rain forecast it is a service they will be relying in for the next few weeks.

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10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Thames Homes Flooded As River Bursts Banks

Homeowners along the River Thames face mopping up operations after the River Thames burst its banks on Friday.

Parts of the river, stretching from Buscot in Oxfordshire to Bourne End in Buckinghamshire, were under flood warnings as heavy rain over recent days caused river levels to rise.

Ground floors and gardens along the River Thames are under water

Residents were warned on Thursday to expect flooding, with many moving belongings to prevent damage.

Images captured homes close to the banks of the river underwater, with flood waters causing damage to ground floors and gardens.

People use a boat to get around

Affected areas included Marlow and Cookham in Buckinghamshire, as well as Shiplake and Wargrave in Berkshire and parts of south Oxford.

The Environment Agency (EA) has 94 flood warnings in place - meaning immediate action is required due to expected flooding - the majority of them in the South East.

Homes in Marlow, Cookham, Shiplake and Wargrave have flooded

Although there is not expected to be significant rainfall over the weekend, the EA said there remained a medium risk of further flooding - mainly in the South - where groundwater levels are high and surface run-off continues to enter already swollen rivers.

Parts of Dorset and Wiltshire are also at risk of flooding, with warnings of possible travel disruption.

David Cameron visits flooded homes in his Witney constituency

David Cameron visited flooded homes in his Witney constituency on Friday.

It comes as climate experts backed the Prime Minister's comments on the increase of "abnormal" weather events and their link to climate change.

Flood warnings along the River Thames. Pic: Environment Agency

Mr Cameron made the comments this week as communities around the UK dealt with the aftermath of a succession of storms in December.

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Carry On Claiming: MPs' £4.5m Expenses

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Gordon Brown, who recently described himself as an "ex-politician", has claimed £1,012.75 for the rent of his constituency office.

The former prime minister's large claim for his office - one of the biggest - in his Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency is one of 35,000 expenses claims totalling £4.58m made by MPs in August and September.

The claims have now been published by expenses watchdog, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).

"He's an elected politician," an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) insider told me when I raised it in the context of the ex-PM's much-criticised comment about his current status during a radio discussion back in October.

And so he is, of course, even though his Commons interventions are now extremely rare.

Gordon Brown claimed over £1,000 for the rent of his constituency office

But it looks as though the love-in between Gordon's chief crony, Ed Balls, and Nick Clegg may have prompted the Deputy Prime Minister to attempt to airbrush some of his previous warm words about the Tories and his frosty comments about Labour.

The DPM, we learn, claimed for three Tipp-Ex products, a correction pen, mouse and bottle of rapid correction fluid among his stationery items. Trying to wipe the Con-Lib Coalition slate clean before a Lib-Lab pact after 2015, perhaps?

Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy charged a rather large sum, £839.76, to run a job advert in a newspaper in the Scottish Highlands. Who says the regional press is struggling for advertising revenue?

And despite the expenses crackdown after the 2009 scandal, the latest IPSA paperwork reveals many MPs are still claiming for first class rail journeys, including Tories like David Jones, Anne McIntosh, Paul Maynard and Sheryl Murray (all the way to St Austell, costing £258.57).

Labour's first class rail claimers include Ed Balls (between London and Wakefield) Shaun Woodward (a man it was once claimed had two butlers) Louise Ellman (who chairs the Transport Select Committee), John Healey, Frank Field, Clive Betts, Wayne David, Linda Riordan, Steve Rotheram, George Howarth, Phil Wilson, Ronnie Campbell, Stephen Hepburn and Kevan Jones.

Among the Lib Dems, Norman Baker - the Home Office minister who wants a ministerial bike instead of a car - also claimed for first class rail travel.

Nick Clegg claimed for three Tipp-Ex products

The SNP's Angus MacNeil claimed for a first class flight to Scotland. But then with his long and difficult weekly journey to the Western Isles, often involving sea planes, he has my sympathy.

These MPs are not necessarily breaking IPSA rules by travelling first class, I'm told. The new rules state that where a first class ticket works out cheaper than the standard fare, that's OK, apparently.

Some MPs made big claims for the recall of Parliament in late August for the Syria debate, including Stephen Gilbert, who charged £274.40 for coming back from Cornwall.

One of the more interesting travel claims was by veteran Tory MP Brian Binley, who charged £496.70 for an air fare to Malta.

Commendably, perhaps, a tiny number of MPs charged for Tube fares and one, Bracknell's Phillip Lee, claimed for a bus fare. How frugal!

Among the more unusual claims, many MPs have claimed for unexplained legal costs, including Foreign Secretary William Hague, ex-minister Chloe Smith, Angela Eagle, Nicholas Soames and the outspoken Peter Bone, who each charged £577.70.

Hilary Benn appears to have hired Westminster's most expensive photocopier, costing £1,291.17. I'm sure it makes lovely copies.

Hilary Benn claimed for a photocopier costing nearly £1,300

The tiniest claims, however, were by veteran Labour MP Austin Mitchell, Scots Labour MP Anas Sarwar and Robin Walker, who each claimed 2p for a pencil sharpener.

At first glance, I was surprised to see that Louise Mensch, who quit as an MP for than a year ago, appears to be still claiming. But I'm assured she is not. Some of her old claims still appear on some spread sheets. It's a "data cleansing issue", I was told.

Never mind, more than four years after the big expenses scandal, those MPs who remain in the Commons are still claiming millions from taxpayers.

A case of Carry On Claiming.

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Parking Tickets: Five-Minute Grace Period Plan

By Tadhg Enright, Sky News Reporter

A five-minute grace period for motorists who overstay their parking is on a list of proposals being considered by the Government to make parking enforcement fairer.

Many councils say they already allow motorists to stay for a few minutes longer before writing a ticket but it is a grey area which would be cleared up if written into law.

Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said: "The Government is committed to reining in over-zealous parking enforcement and unjust parking practices. It is not fair to motorists and needs to stop.

"We have also recently launched a public consultation proposing a number of changes to make sure local authorities are not short-changing motorists and operate in a fair manner.

"These changes could see the end of CCTV being used for on-street parking, unnecessary yellow lines and the introduction of compulsory 'grace periods' at the end of paid on-street parking."

The proposed changes follow a report by MPs on the Transport Select Committee into problems with parking enforcement that give motorists the perception that fines are imposed simply to raise revenue for local authorities.

Chairperson Louise Ellman MP told Sky News: "People get very concerned when they're paying out penalty charges. Sometimes they think that they were misled and that signs were not clear. 

"And often they believe that those charges are levied for the purpose of raising revenue. It would actually be illegal to do that so councils have to be much more transparent about what money they raise."

The Government is also planning to make signage clearer so motorists do not get confused about local parking enforcement rules.

Councils will have to prepare annual reports in which they reveal how much income they make from parking charges and fines.

They will also be reminded that parking fines are not a "cash cow" and should not be used to raise money for council spending.

Cllr David Simmonds, Chair of the Local Government Association, told Sky News: "Local councils receive about £500m a year in income from motorists for parking and penalty charges, all of which is spent on roads and transport. 

"The Treasury received about £45bn a year in taxes from motorists of which about £10bn goes back into transport so it's pretty clear that the taxpayer isn't getting as great a deal from central government as they are from local government."

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Third Of Drivers Admit To Nodding Off At Wheel

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

Almost a third of drivers admit to "nodding off" behind the wheel, according to a survey.

A poll by road safety charity Brake and insurance company Direct Line has found that nearly half of men (45%) say they have momentarily "head nodded", compared to one in five (22%) of female drivers.

One in fourteen people overall (7%) have actually fallen asleep while driving -  14% of male drivers and just 2% of female drivers.

Also, 49% of the 1,000 drivers surveyed said they had driven after less than five hours of sleep.

Men (55%) were also more likely than women (45%) to drive after less than five hours sleep.

Vicki Radford's husband died after falling asleep at the wheel

Vicki Radford's husband Andrew, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, died after falling asleep at the wheel in 2008, just minutes from home.

Mrs Radford said: "Before he lost consciousness he did actually say to the guy who was treating him, the paramedic, he said 'I was so close to home I thought I would be ok'.

"That's why he didn't stop, if only he had stopped the car and been late home, that would have been much better than not coming home."

Dr Louise Reynor, from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, says people should not be driving if they are "head nodding".

"You first of all start by taking lots of blinks then you have head nods then eventually you fall asleep and that period can last up to 20 minutes ... that's a very dangerous situation to be in when your head is nodding you're on the verge of going to sleep."

The Sleep Research Centre's Dr Louise Reynor

Brake says studies show that tired driving kills at least 300 people on UK roads every year.

Deputy chief executive of the road safety charity, Julie Townsend, said: "The fact that so many drivers - especially men - have head-nodded at the wheel is horrifying, even more so that many don't recognise this means they have fallen asleep briefly.

"Brake urges all drivers to pledge to get a good night's sleep before driving, take breaks every two hours, and never try to 'plough on' when they're tired, because sleep can ensue so quickly."

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Cause Of Charles' Chopper Emergency Revealed

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The cause of a helicopter's "hairy" emergency landing involving Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall has been published by air accident investigators.

The incident in May last year occurred as the royal couple and four other passengers were en-route to the Hay-on-Wye literature festival in Wales.

The report said it was on the approach to Denham that the pilot noticed the aircraft was "out of balance".

The Sikorsky S-76C helicopter began to veer - or "yaw" - with little or no control to the right as it approached Denham aerodrome in Buckinghamshire shortly after taking off, the report said.

With the heir to the throne, his wife Camilla and the other passengers briefed about the situation, the 53-year-old captain attempted to correct the problem before declaring a 'Pan' emergency, a less serious emergency than a Mayday.

The Duchess of Cornwall pictured at the book festival

The two-man crew subsequently carried out a "running" landing and ground-taxied before "the aircraft was shut down and the crew and passengers vacated the aircraft".

At the time a royal source described the moment as "quite a hairy incident".

The Air Accident Investigation Bureau said the fault was later traced to the splitting of a steel ball within the system helping to control the "Yaw" system, in turn causing a leak in hydraulic pressure.

The part in which the ball had split was later replaced and the helicopter had subsequently "flown without further incident".

But the report indicated the part had only been fitted two months before the incident and had totted up just 73 flying hours.

The AAIB said Sikorsky was in the process of issuing a safety advisory and a flight manual revision "to inform operators of the symptoms of a PDTA fault and actions to be taken by the crew".

After their delayed arrival at the Hay festival, the royal couple appeared relaxed, with neither alluding to their in-flight drama.

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Sheffield: Family Jailed Over 'Slave' Beatings

Three members of a family have been jailed for keeping a vulnerable man as a "slave" and subjecting him to daily beatings.

Ice cream man David Rooke, 44, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail after admitting falsely imprisoning and assaulting 34-year-old Craig Kinsella.

The family had used him like a "punchbag", said the judge at Sheffield Crown Court.

Disturbing CCTV of the family beating Mr Kinsella was shown in court.

The abuse took place over a six-week period between May and July 2013 and the court heard how Mr Kinsella was kept in "grotesque" conditions in a garage, had to use a bucket for a toilet, and scavenged for food in bins.

David Rooke admitted false imprisonment and five counts of ABH

Rooke's wife Donna, 40, was jailed for four months for battery, while their son Jamie, 19, received four-and-a-half years for five counts of actual bodily harm and affray.

"He was just your punchbag, all three of you. If you were in a bad mood you would just go and kick and punch Craig Kinsella," said Judge Kelson.

"It is staggering that this is happening in our society, absolutely staggering. It is almost unbelievable."

Police found Mr Kinsella in a shocking physical state after responding to reports of a man being abused outside the Rooke house on July 6 last year.

David Rooke's son, Jamie, was jailed for more than four years

He had a broken right arm, a fractured rib, extreme bruising to his back and around his kidney, a fractured chin and cuts, as well as lumps and bruises on his head and legs.

Prosecutors said Mr Kinsella was beaten with weapons that included a pick-axe handle and crowbar.

They said he was so scared of the beatings he would work from 7.30am to midnight for no money, cleaning the family's garden and vans.

Mr Kinsella had learning difficulties, and had first worked for the family a number of years ago, receiving £40 a week so he could keep claiming benefits.

Donna Rooke admitted a charge of battery and received four months in jail

David Rooke was also ordered to pay Mr Kinsella £15,000 that police found in his home.

Detective Inspector Vicky Short, who led the investigation, said: "It is hard to understand how any human being could treat an individual in such a grotesque, callous and inhuman manner.

"I am confident that if we had not received that phone call that day last July we would have been investigating a murder."

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NHS 'Bed Blocking' Reaches Three-Year High

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

The number of NHS patients 'bed blocking' has reached its highest level in three years.

Statistics show towards the end of 2013 the amount of "delayed transfers of care" were higher than the same period in 2011 and 2012.

In November last year 4,190 people were stuck in hospital despite being well enough to leave.

The main reasons are delays in patient assessments or after care provisions such as nursing home placements, or care at home packages.

Two new Medically Fit For Discharge wards (MFFD) were opened last year by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.

Local GPs make regular visits to the wards which provide 50 extra beds for patients who are waiting for extra after care.

There are delays in after care provisions such as nursing home care

Justine Irish, matron of one of the wards at Rowley Regis Hospital, said: "There is always somebody waiting for an acute bed unfortunately, and one of the soul destroying things for a nurse or a medic, or anybody working in healthcare, is to see patients in accident and emergency waiting for beds.

"The difference this ward makes is that you know you are our top priority and as such we can look at what the problems are with getting you out, why is it that we couldn't get you out sooner, and what can we do to change that."

Frances Farmer, 90, was admitted to the ward on Christmas Eve.

She said: "I was admitted to hospital at the end of last month, and I went home for a few days, then I was brought back into the hospital, into this ward, and I've been here ever since. It's described as, well, when you come in here you're going home."

In November 2013 more than 20% of NHS patients bed blocking were waiting for "non-acute care".

Another 20% were waiting for assessments to be completed by the NHS or social services.

Just under 14% were still there because they, or their families, did not want them to leave.

The number of "acute" patients staying in hospital despite being well enough to leave is increasing.

Ruth Williams, manager of Integrated Care at Rowley Regis Hospital, says patients should not be admitted to hospital as a knee-jerk reaction and the answer to bed blocking lies in better community care.

She said: "We aim to work to something called a care triangle where most of the population are at the bottom of the triangle self-managing and self-caring.

"At the moment we are admitting far too many people who aren't acutely ill at the top of the triangle ... if we can find the solutions in the community with social services for the middle of the triangle we can avoid people getting to the top of the triangle and then needing to be admitted."

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

We also want to hear your experiences of the NHS - the good and the bad - tweet us using the hashtag #NHSlifeanddeath

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hundreds Of NHS Direct Staff Face Job Losses

Hundreds of people working for NHS Direct, a failed provider to the NHS helpline, have been told that they face losing their jobs.

NHS Direct announced in July that it was planning to pull out of its contracts due to severe financial problems.

In October it said it would close after projecting a £26 million deficit for this financial year.

Some 200 of its 700 staff have already been told their jobs are safe, as they move to other providers.

Of the remaining 500, many may also escape redundancy, with back office staff most likely to lose their jobs.

A spokeswoman said: "NHS Direct has today written to around 500 employees, including around 140 nurses, giving them formal notice that they are at risk of redundancy at the end of March.

"The final number of redundancies is likely to be less than this, since we are seeking to mitigate as many redundancies as possible by supporting these staff to find alternative employment within the wider NHS.

"At this stage we do not know what the final number of redundancies will be as it is dependent on several factors including the number of 'at risk' staff who obtain suitable alternative employment elsewhere."

The 111 line, which replaced NHS Direct as the number to call for urgent but non-emergency care, has been riddled with controversy since its inception on April 1 last year.

Patients complained of calls going unanswered, poor advice being given and calls being diverted to the wrong part of the country.

A month after its launch, leading medics warned that the "problematic" roll-out of the system left many patients not knowing where to turn.

An investigation was launched by NHS England after a number of potentially serious incidents, including three deaths, were linked to the service.

NHS Direct originally won 11 of the 46 contracts across England to provide the 111 service.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), claimed that 158 nursing staff at NHS Direct would lose their jobs.

He said: "This is sad news indeed for the individuals affected, and could to lead to patients seeing their NHS 111 service stretched even further.

"After the dismantling of NHS Direct, we've been left with a fragmented, localised NHS 111 service that offers uncertainty and inconsistency across many parts of the country."

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

We also want to hear your experiences of the NHS - the good and the bad - tweet us using the hashtag #NHSlifeanddeath

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Obese Pregnant Women 'Putting Strain On NHS'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

NHS chiefs have ordered the first official survey of older and fatter mums giving birth following new evidence that maternity units are under increasing pressure from complex pregnancies.

Figures obtained by Sky News show there has been a boom in pregnant women who are obese or over the age of 40.

Some units reported that the number of obese mums had more than doubled in just two years.

The Royal College of Midwives said the statistics are "astonishing" and warned hospitals must increase the number of staff to cope with the higher risk of serious health problems in the mothers and their babies.

And NHS England revealed that it will for the first time monitor the data to ensure women are receiving appropriate care.

Dr Catherine Calderwood, NHS Clinical Director for Maternity, said: "Knowing this data is one of the most important things to improve the outcomes for these women and their babies. So we are investing in that with a new audit for the first time."

Sky News sent a Freedom of Information request to all maternity units in England.

Dr Catherine Calderwood, NHS Clinical Director for Maternity

Of the 104 that replied 67 were able to supply data on obesity between 2010/11 and 2012/13.

On average there was a 12.5% rise in women with a body mass index (BMI) over 30.

But Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust reported a rise of 192% and Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said obesity had risen 177%.

Our survey also shows an upward trend in the number of older mums, with an average 7.5% rise in the number of women aged over 40 over the two years.

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust has been at the forefront of one of the biggest baby-booms in the country.

Our statistics show that the number of obese mums rose by 59% in two years. Women aged over 40 rose by 33%.

Nicky Griffin, maternity ward manager at the hospital, said obese women need additional care.

"It is a consideration you need to make for their safety when they are in labour," she said.

"There is a risk of deep vein thrombosis, clotting in the leg. We have to give medication to prevent that because bigger ladies can be less mobile."

Obese women are also more at risk of diabetes, dangerously high blood pressure and having a premature delivery.

Older mums face similar risks.

But the research by Sky News reveals that a third of hospitals are failing to collect data on obesity and age.

Louise Silverton of the Royal College of Midwives said the data vacuum could compromise care.

"If you don't know who you are caring for, how do you know you are providing the right care," she said.

"Our concerns are that many units have not done the full assessment for many years and even where they have the trusts are not employing the number of midwives they need for their population."

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

We also want to hear your experiences of the NHS - the good and the bad - tweet us using the hashtag #NHSlifeanddeath

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Britain Braced For More Floods And Chaos

A violent storm brewing in the Atlantic is set to bring more flooding and travel chaos tomorrow as Britain returns to work after the Christmas holidays.

The weather conditions that brought misery over the festive period continued to prove treacherous at the weekend - with a 47-year-old man becoming the third person to die in the storms.

The unnamed man died when his mobility scooter fell into the swollen River Thames at Osney Lock, Oxford, at 6.30pm on Saturday.

The scene where the man on his mobility scooter fell into the river

A search is continuing for an 18-year-old student who went missing after heading out to take photos of the storms.

Harry Martin was last seen on Thursday afternoon leaving his home in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth.

Forecasters are warning gusts of up to 70mph will hit western coasts at around 3am today.

A severe flood warning is in place near Bournemouth

As winds whip up rough seas in the Atlantic, it could lead to even further coastal flooding with 10-metre-high waves possible for southwest England, Wales, and western Scotland.

Harry Martin went missing in the storms

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - for heavy rain overnight in southern parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, southern Wales, north-east England and the South.

Up to 40mm of rain could fall in higher ground.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued one severe flood warning - near Bournemouth, Dorset - and more than 80 flood warnings covering every region.

It urged communities in Dorset and Oxfordshire to prepare for "significant flooding" in the lower reaches of the Thames, Dorset Stour and Frome rivers.

More flooding is expected on the Somerset Levels and rivers in the South East, including the Severn, remain "very high" after recent rainfall.

The EA says some 220 properties have been flooded so far, miles of coastline have been battered and roads and fields across the country left under water.

A yellow warning has been issued for the whole of west Britain

The severe weather has already taken its toll on the transport network - with more disruption expected for morning commuters.

Southern Railway services between Horsham and Dorking in Surrey will be out of action until early February after a landslip in Ockley.

And there is likely to be trouble on the roads, with the RAC expecting today to be one of the busiest days of the year for breakdowns, with 11,000 call-outs expected.

People in Wales are bracing themselves for more flooding and damage after the worst storms in 15 years battered the coastline on Friday.

Tewkesbury is underwater due to floods again

Aberystwyth University is evacuating students who live in halls of residence facing the seafront as more strong winds approach.

Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said: "As the UK returns to work after the Christmas and New Year holidays, some travel disruption is likely on Britain's roads and railways.

"Also, there's likely to be more flooding, with coastal areas at greatest risk as winds gust up to 70mph in the West.

"The storm system out in the Atlantic has whipped up the sea creating a large swell which is heading towards us early on Monday morning, so that combined with strong winds could cause flooding at high tide.

"The spring tides are past their peak now, but the high-tide waters are still likely to cause concern."

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Hull 'Explosives' Find: Boy Among Three Held

A 15-year-old boy and two adults have been arrested after suspected explosive substances were found at a house in Hull.

Army bomb disposal experts were called to the terraced council property in Kilnsea Grove, in the east of the city, on Sunday along with scores of police, firefighters and paramedics following a tip-off.

A number of families were evacuated from their homes as a precaution.

The teenager was arrested along with a 49-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man. All three are in police custody.

A Humberside Police spokesman said last night: "Agencies recovered substances from an address on Kilnsea Grove this afternoon, which were taken to a site in Hull to be disposed of safely.

"The substances have been made safe and seized as evidence. No one was injured."

Several police and fire service vehicles were still parked outside the house last night and officers had erected a blue forensics tent on the road in front of the property.

Police said most people in Kilnsea Grove had returned to their houses.

'Substances' were found at the house in Kilnsea Grove in Hull

Earlier, dozens of people living in the area gathered behind the police cordon to watch the Army bomb disposal experts go into the property.

One man said: "I can't believe what descended on us. There's army, police, ambulances, four-wheel drive ambulances, fire engines. Everything's here.

"They came in the middle of the night after a tip-off about stuff in the house. Then all hell broke loose. I've not seen anything like it."

Detective Inspector Jason Gourley said: "We have arrested three people who are currently assisting us with our enquiries in connection with substances believed to be at a property on Kilnsea Grove.

"We appreciate that many people of Kilnsea Grove would have been inconvenienced when they were asked to evacuate their homes, so we would like to thank them for their patience, whilst we conducted inquiries and made the area safe for them to return.

"The evacuation was necessary in order to ensure every local resident was safe during the investigation, which was our top priority.

"I would like to reassure members of the public that we believe this is an isolated incident and we don't believe this incident is connected to any terrorist organisations."

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