Hadleigh has suffered a second night of high water in the river Brett, which burst its banks, with no sign of the sluice gates being opened.

It is argued that this might have prevented serious damage to homes and possessions and the loss of much loved animals at Hadleigh's famous riverside small holding at Toppesfield Bridge. 

By 21.30 on Friday night, the river was rising so high and so fast that parts of Hadleigh became inaccessible. There were reports of 12-24 inches of water on some paths and road surfaces.

People making their way home from an exhibition in Bridge Street had to wade through knee deep water to rescue their cars from the riverside car park. They then had to drive miles round Hadleigh to find a passable road home. 

All day on Saturday people had been reporting difficulties on the roads and with travel in Hadleigh and the surrounding villages. 

On Saturday morning the small holding at Toppesfield Bridge was experiencing extreme flooding. The water could be seen swirling and at great depth in what had been a home for so many animals.

Only a handful of animals could be seen and it was reported that the owner could not gain access to the site because the height of the water and the strength of the current.

Concerned residents spent long periods looking down on the site, where only one of the three emus who live there could be seen.

Support has been offered to the distraught and devastated owner on social media.

Emus affected by flooding (Picture: Nub News)

Layham Road Sports Ground was also under several inches of water. Hadleigh United FC's football ground, Millfield, had some flooded areas, including the club house.

The river had burst its banks along its full length throughout the town.

It has been argued that the sluice gates should have been opened earlier in the week, following weather warnings and reports that Storm Babet would cause high water. But the gates apparently remained closed, although some said that they had been partially opened on Thursday. 

The town clerk posted on Facebook a call for assistance regarding who owned the land adjacent to the gates.

County councillor, Mick Fraser posted that the Environment Agency were aware. But this did not reassure some residents who believed that the gates should have been opened earlier.

There was no sight of the three Babergh councillors representing their Hadleigh wards.

Ex-councillor Jan Byrne asked if photos of the flood could be forwarded to the town clerk for the historical record.

Meanwhile some Hadleigh residents are struggling with the consequences of the highest water levels in Hadleigh since the 40s.

A 'gofundme' page has been set up by friends of the tenants of the plot at Toppesfield Bridge to support restoration efforts.

Meanwhile, Suffolk's emergency services, councils and public bodies have 'stood down' the major incident response to Storm Babet – but are urging people to remain cautious and follow safety advice.

Public agencies in Suffolk are still responding to the impact and threats posed by the severe flooding, but are now able to do so within existing resources and without the need for tight coordination by the Suffolk Resilience Forum (SRF). Areas most badly hit by the floods, including towns and villages in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, are likely to continue to get additional coordinated support from public bodies across Suffolk – led by the district councils in those areas. 

People in East Suffolk are therefore still being warned that flood water levels have not necessarily hit their peak. This is because flood water entering Suffolk's rivers is flowing downstream towards the coast faster than expected – meaning water levels could rise before they drop.

Key public safely advice includes:

• Don't drive through flood water. Just one egg cup of water is enough to wreck your engine
• Keep alert for surface water, drive according to the conditions and increase distance from the vehicle in front and be prepared to back off if visibility gets worse
• Be aware of debris left on roads by the flood water
• Return to abandoned vehicles and retrieve them, where safe to do so
• Avoid playing or swimming in flood water, because it can contain hidden dangers such as lifted manhole covers, sharp objects, sewage and chemicals.
• Check your flood risk here: Check for flooding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The five district and borough councils across Suffolk are already working to help residents and business to recover from the impact of the floods. Information is already available on their websites and further details will be released in the coming days.