Whaley Bridge resident claims his home has been burgled since evacuation last week

The evacuee voiced his concerns for the town during a residents' meeting for those affected by the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir dam.

Held at Chapel School in Chapel-en-le-Frith, it was attended by representatives from Derbyshire Police, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Canal and River Trust.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann responded to the victim by saying the force had been using a drone to patrol the streets.

She added that there would be "catastrophic consequences" if the dam was to collapse while people are within the evacuation zone.

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They said drones were being used to watch over the area, but that it was not a direct result of the reported incident.

Thirty-one people, including a "small number" who were initially evacuated but have since returned to their homes, remained in 22 properties in the town on Sunday evening.

Ms Swann told residents those who have defied orders to leave are not only putting their own lives at risk, but also those of emergency services staff who may have to look for them if the dam does break.

She said: "We've not evacuated this for no reason.

"We've evacuated this because there is real prospect the dam could fail and if it fails it is catastrophic. People would die if they were in that evacuation zone.

"So those people who remain in that zone are putting their lives at risk.

"They are also putting the lives of the responders, primarily the police, at risk because we have to keep going in and speaking to them and asking them to leave."

Water levels at the reservoir have been reduced by more than 3.5 metres.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn traveled to the area today to meet residents and emergency workers, following Friday's visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.