Newtown firefighters help at damaged Whaley Bridge dam

Firefighters from Newtown are at the collapse-threatened Whaley Bridge Dam in Derbyshire with high-powered pumps to help reduce water levels.

The crews are among hundreds from throughout the UK who are helping to pump as much water from the reservoir to allow emergency repairs to take place.

It follows the partial collapse of the dam wall following heavy rain over the past week.

Newtown is home to one of the most powerful mobile water pumps in the UK. It was previously used for another dam in the north of England a few years ago which was under threat of collapse.

The Army and RAF is also involved in the work with a Chinook helicopter being used to dump large bags of stone on the damaged section of the wall in an attempt to temporarily save it.

More than 1,500 people have had to leave their homes at Whaley Bridge due to the risk of the dam collapsing sending millions of gallons of water into the town.

Photo courtesy of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue