IN PICTURES: Remembering Peterborough's worst EVER floods

Peterborough has just endured a wet and miserable month, but the city has experienced much worse flooding.
Wansford village during the 1912 floodsWansford village during the 1912 floods
Wansford village during the 1912 floods

More than a century ago, in August 1912, Peterborough’s city centre streets became awash with flood water.

There were weeks of heavy downpours culminating on August 26 when the rain started at 5.30am and didn’t stop until 7pm.

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The water levels at Peterborough Town Bridge were 7ft above normal levels, and there was considerable concern for the safety of the bridge at the time. That didn’t stop scores of people using it as a vantage point.

Stanground was badly hit when the lode overflowed and some streets flooded to a depth of 4ft.

Easter on April 13 1998, the floods came again. A month’s rain fell in just 24 hours as the River Nene burst its banks.

There was misery for many but the experts reckoned Peterborough escaped much worse by the skin of its teeth.

Here is how that Easter unfolded.

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Maundy Thursday, April 13 : Flooding started in Alconbury near Huntingdon.

Good Friday – 9am: The A1 Northbound flooded, as did Bullock Road in Elton, Haddon fly-over, Bishops Road in Peterborough, Tasmin Caravan Park in Eye, Parnwell Way in Peterborough, the A605 in Elton, Windsor Road in Yaxley, Furze Road in Dogsthorpe and Carr Road in Peterborough. Thorpe Road in Peterborough was under three foot of water.

Noon: A red alert issued for the River Nene. A city-wide alert was put out warning people of the possibility of evacuations.

Easter Saturday – 7.30pm: 50 homes in Riverside Gardens and Thorpe Meadows evacuated.

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8pm: Police set up a special emergency advice line manned by civilian staff. Temperatures drop to -2 degrees.

Easter Day: 70 people evacuated from Thorpe Meadows. Severe flooding in Elton and Wansford.

The basement of Bridge Street police station flooded twice and the station had to be abandoned.

Wansford’s Haycock Hotel is flooded. Residents in Gleneagles Road, in Orton Longueville were evacuated.

More city centre residents put on evacuation alert, including those living in Rushmere Gardens, Thorpe Meadows, Riverside Gardens, Thorpe Lea Gardens and Winchester Way – and many more.