Bighearted Scottish soldiers have been on the climate change frontline saving residents and their homes across storm ravaged England.
Highlanders have been bombarded by wellwishers after they were deployed to help with urgent flood relief in Yorkshire.
The troops have been dealing with rising water levels in the Calder Valley, with Storm Dennis bringing heavy rainfall and flooding.
A total of seventy-five personnel from the Highlanders aka 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, worked with the Environment Agency to erect and repair barriers and flood defences in Ilkley and Calderdale.
Major William Wright, officer commanding A Company, 4 Scots, said: “The troops are building up flood defences using sandbags, scaffolding and tarpaulins to help keep the water back if it breaks the banks.
“The river burst it banks last week and caused quite a lot of damage. We are the lead company - as the UK’s stand by battalion - which means we are at 12 hours notice to move.
“When I get told to stand to, 12 hours later we are in vehicles ready to go wherever we are needed. This is what is known as militarty aid to the civil authority. A lot of people have come up to my soldiers to say thank you, offering them tea and sticky buns.”
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “The Government won’t hesitate to use all means at its disposal to mitigate the effects of Storm Dennis.”
Colonel Nigel Rhodes, deputy commander of 4th Infantry Brigade and HQ North East, said: “Troops will remain on task as long as required.” He added 4th Infantry Brigade are “happy to be doing our bit”.
Calderdale Council leader Tim Swift said: “This extra and expert resource couldn’t be more welcome to support already exhausted communities and help us respond to further weather warnings across Calderdale.”
A month’s rainfall fell in just 12 hours at the weekend. More than 400 properties were flooded in Yorkshire - 200 of which were in Mytholmroyd, a village in the Upper Calder Valley.
