More than 40 rescued from flooding (From Thurrock Gazette)

More than 40 rescued from flooding

9:41am Saturday 9th June 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

About 150 people have been rescued or evacuated from homes and caravans affected by flooding in West Wales.

Holidaymakers and residents were helped to safety in a large-scale rescue operation mounted by fire crews, coastguard lifeboats and military helicopters when water swept through caravan parks and villages near Aberystwyth.

Three people were airlifted by Royal Air Force Sea King helicopters from the Riverside Caravan Park in Llandre and dozens took shelter in a community centre in Talybont.

Chief Inspector Robin Mason, of Dyfed Powys Police, said it was difficult to give an exact number of those rescued.

He told the BBC: "When caravan parks have about 2ft of water, people have been able to make their own way in an orderly manner. Since dawn, a lot of people have decided to leave by their own accord."

He said some people were trapped in buildings, but added: "However, they are upstairs. We have emergency rescue teams in the area with inflatables and we are in the process of evacuating people."

Fire service rescue boats and vehicles joined inshore lifeboats to help stranded people escape from the Riverside Caravan Park.

A Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said emergency services were called at around 3am and there was "a large amount of water and a heavy current running through the caravan park".

Nearby Mill House Caravan Park at Dol-y-Bont was also flooded, and around a dozen people needed rescuing.

Pat Edwards, 56, whose partner runs Mill House Caravan Park, said they had not seen flooding like it in 50 years.