Residents at Billing Aquadrome and the Yarwell Mill Country Park in Northamptonshire have been urged not to return to their homes despite water levels continuing to decrease overnight.

A multi-agency response to flooding at Yarwell Mill, near Peterborough, has been scaled back following a severe risk-to-life flood warning issued at the site on Thursday morning, with residents asked to leave for their own safety.

Residents are now being advised not to attempt to return to either site until advised to do so.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service assisted the site management company with the evacuation of 32 people from Yarwell Mill, where water levels peaked around 10 hours after the warning was given.

Levels on the nearby River Nene have since fallen further, but the fire service remains on hand to support North Northamptonshire Council and site management as necessary.

North Northamptonshire Council has been in regular contact with the site’s management company since the weekend and has also been working to safeguard the most vulnerable people at Yarwell Mill, having set up a rest centre.

The Billing Aquadrome site, on the outskirts of Northampton, remains inaccessible due to flooding.

Superintendent Steve Freeman, who is heading a multi-agency response through the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) said: “It’s been a real team effort to respond to the widespread flooding across the county and I would like to thank all of the LRF partners involved as well as our residents in Northamptonshire who, in the main, have been very supportive and understanding whilst we have dealt with this situation.

“Although it’s good news to hear that the water levels are falling, people with accommodation at Yarwell Mill and Billing Aquadrome should not return to the sites until advised to do so.

“Although we hope to move into the recovery phase of our response soon, the LRF will not become complacent and we stand ready to step up our response again should the situation change.”

People in the county are still being asked to follow safety advice, including checking travel information before setting off, driving appropriately for the road conditions, and being prepared to meet standing water, with motorists warned against trying to drive through it.