WORK on refurbishing Tadcaster Health Centre has finally started, almost ten months after it was badly flooded last Boxing Day.

The start of the work comes after a similar scheme to repair Tadcaster medical centre - a similar building next door which was also badly flooded at the same time - was recently completed.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsible for the health centre, said the flooding caused after the nearby River Wharfe burst its banks, caused the building to be “uninhabitable.”

A spokeswoman said the trust had to make alternative arrangements as to where to base community staff as a consequence.

“We’ve continued to deliver community services as normal in this patch, irrespective of the works needed at the health centre,” she said.

“Contrary to appearances, work has been under way, and part of that work involved a proper drying out process as approved by the loss adjuster.”

She said the trust had received confirmation that the building had dried out enough to start the refurbishment works, and these started on Monday, and would hopefully finish by the end of the year.

“We are also going to add some flood defence works to the building to make it more resilient in the future,” she added.

The Press reported earlier this year how district nursing sister Toni East and her colleagues at the health centre were awarded a York & District Medal for their “inspirational” response to the floods.

Toni, her team of nurses and reception staff were determined not to let the chaos caused by the flooding, and the associated partial collapse of Tadcaster bridge which blocked access across the river, prevent them making vital visits to patients.

They rolled up their sleeves to clear up the building and remove flood-damaged furniture. The Press had teamed up with City of York Council to recognise flood heroes through the medal.