Hundreds flee over dam burst fear
Posted: Tuesday 26th June 2007
Hundreds of people have fled their homes in three villages in South Yorkshire amid fears a dam is about to burst after torrential rain.
Engineers are trying to reinforce the wall holding back the Ulley reservoir near Rotherham after cracks appeared.
About 100 homes in the villages of Catcliffe, Whiston and Canklow were cleared by police officers overnight after engineers signalled a warning over the dam wall of the 35-acre Ulley reservoir, in a country park south of Rotherham.
Fire crews are pumping water out of the reservoir in a bid to ease the pressure on the dam.
The residents who left their homes were taken to the safety of nearby Dinnington Comprehensive School as a precaution.
