Cockermouth home owners still cleaning up after floods
Last updated at 13:19, Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Cockermouth residents were still cleaning up yesterday after floods hit their streets.
People in Gote Road were still coping with the mess the floods had caused on Saturday night. The road is closed off with sofas, carpets and furniture piled up outside homes.
Ashley Wilson, of Gote Road, said the emergency services were tending to the hundreds of runners taking part in the Original Mountain Marathon on the fells above Borrowdale who were stranded at the same time as the floods struck.
About 1,700 runners camped. Three hundred took refuge in Honister Slate Mine and another 443 in emergency shelters set up in Cockermouth School, Glaramara outdoor pursuit centre and Gatesgarth Farm.
Mr Wilson said emergency services were not able to get to flooded homes on Gote Road until 2am to close off the road.
And passing cars were splashing water close to the top floors of houses as they drove past pushing water further into their homes.
He added: “Cars were still coming through the road on Saturday night and there were no emergency services around.
“They said they had been helping the fell walkers.
“It was like a tidal wave when every car came past. The police didn’t get here until 2am to stop people driving down our road, but it was too late by then.
“All the neighbours had to help each other here. No one would come to close off the road.
“Everything downstairs in my house was affected. The carpets had to be taken out. The water came through the foundations of the house. There is no use putting sandbags down because the water still comes in.”
Susan Cashmore, also of Gote Road, had been away the night the floods had hit her house. Her two children, aged 14 and 17 had to rescue their valuables when their house started filling up with water.
Susan said: “On Saturday I was in Germany for work. The kids were here on their own. The children sat at the top of the stairs watching the water coming in. It came in about 14 inches deep.
“We had a plan for if it floods to save the photographs, computers, electrics and anything that can be moved. Everything is ruined in the kitchen. We only put a new cooker in last week. We have never even used it. It is now written off.”
She added that her insurance company will be coming to asses the damages on Thursday. They are now waiting for dehumidifiers to start drying the house.
She added: “The water came in through the side and fireplace, then through the door last.
“There are islands in the river which need to come out so the water flows better, and if we had the drains cleaned they wouldn’t get clogged up. There is a bend in the river behind our houses so there are no flood planes.”
People in Bridgefoot say they are still campaigning to stop a development they fear will encourage flooding in their village.
Earlier this month controversial development of The Melbreak Hotel, near Little Clifton, was approved by Allerdale Council despite concerns from residents in nearby Bridgefoot that it will increase the risk of flooding beside their homes.
Bridgefoot residents feel that the addition of hard surfaces on the site would increase the volume of water in Lostrigg Beck, which runs through their village – an area already prone to flooding.
Resident Jennifer Wright said: “A few houses in Bridgefoot did flood over the weekend. Prior to the A66 development in 1999 the village hadn’t flooded in 100 years. The excess surface water went down the Kirkbeck which is a tiny tributary 27 inches wide. Then it went down into the Lostrigg which has a horse-shoe bend. Excess water meets on the horse shoe making the bend disastrous.
“We have been objecting to the Melbreak Hotel development because their surface water will also come down to the village.
“We have had to pay for retaining walls, flood gates and some people can’t get their homes insured.
“At the weekend it was a lake in the field near Melbreak Hotel with the rain. If the development goes ahead the water will have to go somewhere and will make the flooding worse.”
SAli@cngroup.co.uk
First published at 11:22, Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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My sympathies go out to you all there.
The tv news tells us that the flood waters emenate from Bassenthwiate Lake.
This is owned by the National Park Authority. (They may well lease it out to a water company, I do not know) but one thing is clear that they have a duty in law to ensure their water does not cause damage to neighbouring owners. So send them the bill.That is why people turn off their taps when having a bath! Rylands V Fletcher known to all law students highlights the duty.
The National Park Authority should build a dam as it would appear it certainly doesn't give a damn.
Posted by james allen on 21 November 2009 at 15:39