Do you know where your stop tap is? Bucks firefighters deal with more than 40 incidents of internal flooding in 29 hours

Between 9am on Friday March 2 and 9am on Saturday March 3, fire crews were called out 29 times to deal with internal flooding while they were called to a further 11 between 9am and 2pm.

Crews were called to incidents in Aylesbury Vale at addresses in the following areas:

> Station Road, Mursley - 2.12pm - March 2

> Patrick Way, Aylesbury - 9.40pm - March 2

> Bicester Road, Aylesbury - 1.55am - March 3

> Devereux Place, Aylesbury - 4.01am - March 3

> Ingram Avenue, Aylesbury - 4.56am - March 3

> Mandeville Road, Aylesbury - 5.04am - March 3

> Swale Road, Aylesbury - 9.22am - March 3

> Sharps Close, Waddesdon - 1.01pm - March 3

More incidents have been reported since 2pm on Saturday when the fire service issued advice to residents (see below).

Crews have since been called to the following locations in the Vale:

> Temple Square, Aylesbury - 2.40pm - March 3

> Heath Close, Aylesbury - 3.29pm - March 3

> Aiston Place, Aylesbury - 5.03pm - March 3

> Coventon Road, Aylesbury - 7.12pm - March 4

> Chestnut Way, Stoke Mandeville - 1.26pm - March 5

Speaking on Saturday afternoon the fire service’s community safety manager Phill Mould said: “As the temperature begins to warm up slightly, we’re seeing frozen pipes begin to thaw and cause problems for residents.

“It is important that you know in particular how to turn off your water and electricity supply, as this can limit further damage to your property.”

Bucks Fire and Rescue Service is urging residents to take time to locate their stop tap and make sure they can turn it clockwise to shut the water off should they need to in an emergency - or if a similarly prolonged period of wet or frozen weather takes place in the future.

Phill explained: “Most of us don’t have a need to isolate our water intake from one year to the next, but there is nothing worse than trying to find it for the first time in the middle of the night with water coming through your ceiling.”

“Please take the time today to find where yours is.

“For those of us with elderly or vulnerable neighbours, it would be of great help if you could perhaps pop around and locate their stop tap so that if they need assistance, help could be at hand.

“While we understand that these incidents can cause damage and distress to residents, and emergency services will help where they can, a front-line resource called out to assist with internal property flooding is unable to attend other lifesaving incidents.”