Storm Babet claims 9th life as woman in her 80s found dead inside flooded home

Storm Babet has claimed the life of a ninth person as a woman in her 80s was found dead inside her flooded home in Derbyshire, police have said.

The victim was pronounced dead inside a house in Chesterfield after the area was flooded due to heavy rain. The force said they were called at around 10.35am on Saturday to the "sudden death" of a woman in Tapton Terrace.

While investigations are at an early stage, it is believed the woman died due to flooding in the area. Derbyshire Police said in a statement released this morning: "An investigation has been launched after the body of a woman was found at a property in Chesterfield.

Houses have been flooded in Chesterfield following heavy rain (Ioannis Alexopoulos/LNP)

"Derbyshire Constabulary were called just after 10.35am on Saturday 21 October to the sudden death of a woman in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield Officers, along with colleagues from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and from East Midlands Ambulance Service, arrived at the property and found a woman, aged in her 80s, inside the flat. Investigations are continuing into the cause and circumstances surrounding her death."

It comes as flooding continues to cause chaos around the country with travel disruption across parts of Yorkshire, Scotland, East Anglia and the East Midlands on Sunday. Storm Babet brought unprecedented damage and disruption across the north of England and Scotland.

Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts

Angus and Aberdeenshire were badly hit by the storm and teams will be clearing debris from roads in the region and assessing damage to bridges. The red and yellow weather warnings covering Dundee and the north-east of Scotland have expired and conditions are expected to improve on Sunday.

Emergency services rescue pets and residents on Hawthorn Road in Chesterfield (Ioannis Alexopoulos/LNP)

The Environment Agency (EA) said three severe flood warnings were in place around the River Derwent in Derbyshire, meaning deep and fast-flowing water carries a significant risk of death or serious injury as well as serious disruption to local communities. Derby City Council said they are seeing record-breaking water levels in the River Derwent and warned that cleaning up after the floods could take several days.

More than 270 flood warnings - where less dangerous flooding is expected - remain in place across England. Katharine Smith, EA flood duty manager, said: "Following persistent, heavy rain from Storm Babet, severe river flooding impacts are probable in parts of the East Midlands and South Yorkshire today and into Sunday.

Roads and houses were left under water in Chesterfield (Derbyshire Times / SWNS)

"Severe river flooding impacts are occurring on the River Derwent in Derby, where we have issued severe flood warnings, and significant impacts are also possible elsewhere across the Midlands and parts of northern England today. Ongoing flooding is probable on some larger rivers including the Severn, Ouse and Trent through to Tuesday."

On Friday, a man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing floodwater in the town of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire. Police Scotland previously said a falling tree hit a van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday evening, killing the 56-year-old driver. A 57-year-old woman also died on Thursday after being swept into a river in the region.