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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dave Burke

Boris Johnson heckled as he finally visits community devastated by flooding

Boris Johnson was heckled as he finally visited an area hit by devastating floods - with one woman refusing to speak to him.

The Prime Minister had "where've you been?" and "you took your time" shouted at him this morning in Yorkshire.

It comes after Mr Johnson came under fire from Labour yesterday for his slow response to the crisis.

It is his first visit to Yorkshire since the flooding hit six days ago - although he has been to Derbyshire, which was also severely hit.

"You took your time, Boris," one person told Johnson as he walked through Stainforth in South Yorkshire accompanied by local officials, while another asked him: "Where've you been?"

One women helping the troops with her wheelbarrow refused to talk to the PM.

Are you affected by the floods? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk

The Prime Minister was heckled by locals as he visited Stainforth in South Yorkshire (PA)

She said: "I'm not very happy about talking to you so, if you don't mind, I'll just mope on with what I'm doing.

"You've not helped us up to press, I don't know what you're here today for."

The flooding claimed one life last week, when former Derbyshire high sheriff Annie Hall was swept away in Darley Dale.

There are 34 flood warnings still in place across England, in locations from Somerset and East Sussex in the South, to as far north as the Lower River Nidd near Harrogate in Yorkshire, and the Holderness Drain in east Yorkshire.

The Prime Minister has been heavily criticised over his response to the floods (PA)

Seven flood alerts are also in place in Wales, where the Met Office is predicting further heavy rain on Wednesday.

But five severe "danger to life" warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire have been downgraded.

Nearly 100 soldiers have arrived in South Yorkshire to aid communities which have been cut off by flooding.

Personnel from the Light Dragoons were spotted laying down sandbags in Stainforth, Doncaster, this morning and attempting to shore up the village's bridge.

It is hoped that by doing so they will improve access to Fishlake, one of the areas which has been worst affected by last week's deluge.

Sunshine and clear skies greeted around 80 men from the regiment on Wednesday, with a further 80 from the Royal Anglians set to be deployed later in the morning.

Last night the Prime Minister warned there could be further flooding across the country after chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency committee.

More flooding could follow, forecasters have warned (PA)

Mr Johnson also finally announced relief funding would be made available for those affected by the floods and said that funding for locals councils to help affected households would be made available to the tune of £500 per eligible household.

Up to £2,500 would be available for small to medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts and which are not covered by insurance.

The PM also urged people in affected areas to heed the warnings of emergency services, after some residents in Fishlake remained in their homes despite being advised by Doncaster Council to evacuate.

Mr Johnson's response to flooding is fast turning into an election issue (PA)

The announcements came after both Labour and the Liberal Democrats criticised the Government's response to flooding, which is rapidly turning into an election issue.

On Friday Mr Johnson visited Matlock in Derbyshire, stating: "I'm in awe of the community's spirit and resilience in the face of this awful ongoing event.

"It is the same spirit seen in the affected areas across Yorkshire and the Midlands this past week.

"It is the stories of volunteers, of neighbours and of friends often literally carrying each other through this time that I have found immensely uplifting."

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