Thunderstorms threaten to bring more unwanted rainfall to a Derbyshire town where a damaged dam is feared to be at risk of collapse.
Dozens more homes have been evacuated in Whaley Bridge ahead of expected bad weather on Sunday, as emergency workers continue their efforts to prevent the dam giving way.
There remains a threat to life in the town and 55 further properties were cleared in the Horwich End area this weekend, on top of around 1,500 residents who had already been evacuated.
Water levels at the Toddbrook Reservoir in the town had been reduced by 1.3 metres since Thursday, the Department for the Environment said on Saturday evening.
The fire service said 35% of the water had been pumped out by Sunday morning, but would not give further details on the level it had been brought down to, nor the level that must be reached for the dam to be considered safe.
Police have warned the 180-year-old structure remains in a “critical condition” with a breach still a “very real threat”.
Forecasters warned of the potential for up to 40mm of rain to fall in just an hour or two on Sunday afternoon.
While residents had been allowed to return to their homes for brief periods this weekend to collect essential items, police said no-one would be allowed to return on Sunday ahead of expected heavy rainfall.
Derbyshire Police said: “Our first duty is to protect the lives of the public and emergency services.”
Gavin Tomlinson, Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, said crews had been working “tirelessly” overnight.
He added: “This work will continue until engineers are confident that the water is at a safe level and the risk has been mitigated.”
He said he hoped people may be able to return to their homes by the end of the week.
A Met Office yellow weather warning is in place for much of northern England and the Midlands, including the area around the reservoir.
Meteorologist Mark Wilson said: “There is the potential for some thundery showers which could give some very unwelcome rain (in that area).
“There is the potential for 30-40mm in just one to two hours.”
Police said the added evacuations on Saturday evening were due to “a potential increase in risk of adverse weather in coming days and the ongoing risk of the Toddbrook Reservoir breaching”.
Residents evacuated on Thursday told how they grabbed medication and beloved pets when they were allowed to very briefly return home on Saturday, having been warned by police they did so at their own risk.
Joan Pass, 78, was in tears after she went back for the first time since the mass evacuation of the town, describing it as “terrible”.
Tracey Coleman said she, her 18-year-old daughter Anna and the rest of the family left on Thursday with their two dogs, a cat, a tortoise and the neighbour’s dog and went to her mother’s house nearby.
Boris Johnson visited the area on Friday and promised that the damaged reservoir would have a “major rebuild” as he met locals at nearby Chapel-en-le-Frith High School.
Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, who visited the area on Saturday, paid tribute to the “patience and fortitude” of residents and thanked all those working to repair the dam.
An RAF Chinook has dropped more than 400 sandbags, and around 150 firefighters have been using high-volume pumps to remove excess water from the reservoir.
Residents are expected to be updated on the situation at a meeting on Sunday evening.
The reservoir is on the north-west edge of the Peak District National Park and was built in 1831, according to experts, although the Environment Agency records it as being built in 1840-41.