Home Secretary praises emergency response to quarry collapse during visit to Mansfield

Ms Patel was visiting Mansfield on November 9 as part of a Conservatives' media round, and when talking to your Chad she heaped praise on frontline staff across the East Midlands who are dealing with environmental damage following Thursday's heavy rain.

The Home Secretary commended the emergency response to flooding in Derbyshire and Worksop, and the response to the Berry Hill quarry collapse, and said focus now needs to be on "supporting the needs" of the families and public who have been affected.

She said: "Obviously we have had a lot of rain. I'm an Essex MP and we have a lot of flooding, and when a lot water is coming and land is completely sodden there are lots of problems.

"I think the most important thing to think about now and remember is the support of people on the frontline, the fire service, police officers, who are doing a hell of a lot of work to give people support and get the communities back to normal again.

"Flooding in particular is terrible, it has horrible consequences for people, for their families and their livelihoods, and I think at this time we should focus on them and what we can do to support their needs."

Thirty-five properties on Bank End Close were forced to evacuate after part of the cliff collapsed into their gardens just before 5pm on Thursday (November 7).

Residents had been left displaced and without information about where they will be staying, with a family of four and three couples given temporary accommodation overnight. Most residents stayed with friends and relatives after the collapse.

Some residents have since been able to return to their homes following the collapse, but 12 properties on Bank End Close and seven on Stone Bank remain evacuated and arrangements will be made with residents to retrieve essential items today.

Temporary accommodation has been arranged for those who need it. Whilst properties are unable to be occupied, 24-hour security has been arranged to maintain security in the area.

In a joint statement, mayor Andy Abrahams, Councillor Mick Barton and Coun Lee Anderson said: “We’d like to thank residents and businesses for their patience and understanding.

"Our main priority is the safety of the public and we are working with specialists and agencies to determine the best way forward and undertake any emergency works.

"We are keen to get everyone back to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so and are relying on the advice from our technical experts to provide assurance that people can return home."