COMMAND of the response to the flooding crisis has formally been passed from the police to a joint operation led by Somerset County Council.

The joint operation sees the flooding move from an emergency response phase to a new recovery phase, now that there is no longer a known risk to life.

A joint statement issued on behalf of Gold Command said: “There has been a huge effort from emergency services and close working with all agencies and partners to provide the best help and support to the public that we could throughout this crisis.

“We all also publicly acknowledge the tremendous support and dedication shown by a variety of voluntary groups and the many hundreds of volunteers who have stepped forward during this time.”