A SWOLLEN River Aire caused flooding in parts of the district today.

Following heavy rainfall on Monday, the Government’s Flood Information Service issued a flood warning in the morning for properties at Baildon Road, Shipley; Banksome Drive, Nab Wood; and those around Bradford and Bingley Sports Club at Cottingley. The river also caused flooding at Roberts Park at Saltaire.

Baildon Town Council chairman, Cllr Joe Ashton, who is the lead coordinator for the Baildon Community Emergency and Flood Plan, said: “There’s a red flood warning for River Aire at Shipley and Baildon from 5am.”

Late this afternoon, Cllr Ashton said the red warning remained in place, but said: “I think we’re past the worst of it.”

“I received a few phone calls from flood defence officials this morning,” said Georgie Summerscales, owner of On the Lash beauty salon at Baildon Bridge. “I get upset every time it rains.

“I’d like to move being so near the river because every time it rains I get scared.”

Miss Summerscales has been through some serious flooding in her time at Baildon Bridge beauty salon.

On Boxing Day 2015, she was to here waist deep in River Aire floodwater and then in February of this year the cellar of her shop flooded as did the car park of the nearby Woodbottom Working Men’s Club.

But Miss Summerscales has tried to remain positive, saying: “I’ve been through several floods and a pandemic, and I’m still here.”

Phil Lightbody, a maintenance volunteer at Bradford and Bingley Sports Club, showed the T&A the extent of the flooding around the club grounds on Tuesday morning.

There was floodwater on the Bingley Cricket Club pitch, a huge pool of standing water on the main rugby pitch and two rugby pitches across the river, which were under water early in the morning were still heavily flooded at midday.

“The training pitches across the river were completely covered in floodwater and the cricket pitch also had a lot of floodwater on it.

“The biggest problem with the main rugby pitch is the water table, as a lot of water seeped to the surface.

“The flooding seems to be getting more regular,” said Mr Lightbody, who also mentioned the Boxing Day flood of 2015 and the February flood this year.

Cllr Ashton added: “The flooding frequency and severity is increasing.”

A flood alert was also in force for the River Aire at Snaygill Industrial Estate in Skipton and Cononley Business Park and the washlands around Cononley were full.