Nottinghamshire County Council has been thanked for the help it gave to residents in West Yorkshire who were hit by floods over the Christmas period.

1,000 sandbags were sent to the Bradford and Calderdale areas of Yorkshire at short notice following the severe weather conditions which affected the north of England over the festive break.

The Council’s emergency planning and highways teams swung into action and offered their assistance following TV footage of the floods.

The sandbags were dispatched from the Council’s Markham Moor highways depot.

Now, Kersten England, the chief executive of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council has written to Anthony May, chief executive of Nottinghamshire County Council, expressing her thanks.

“I am writing on behalf of the Leader of the Council and myself to express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the support you provided to Bradford Council over the Christmas period in supplying us with 1,000 sandbags,” says Ms England in her letter.

“These were of great assistance in helping us respond to the flood which devastated parts of the District.

“Our director of HR was delighted with the swift and substantial support provided by your officers.

“Please be assured that, in the event you should ever have to face a similar civil emergency, we will do everything we can to help.”

Coun Alan Rhodes, Leader of the County Council, said: “It was the very least we could do.

“At a time when they should have been enjoying a festive break, the communities in the Bradford and Calderdale areas were battling against terrible floods that left homes and businesses under water.

“Coming to the aid of others when they need it the most is this Council’s main purpose. When we got the call to help, we acted without hesitation in the full knowledge that they would have helped us if we were suffering.

“It’s at times like this that we at Nottinghamshire County Council rise to the challenge.”