Owner of Cresslands Touring Park in Baston appeals for help to save business after flooding from Storm Henk

A fundraising page has been set up to save a business after a catastrophic flood.

David Walters, 51, has dedicated 11 years turning his business Cresslands Touring Park ‘from a derelict waste site to an oasis’.

But flooding from Storm Henk hit the site between Thurlby and Baston last week, submerging it in water and sweeping away equipment.

“After all the rain on Tuesday evening the water table and river were both really high.

“I had a really sinking feeling that something was going to happen as these variables had never been so extreme,” said David.

He contacted all of his customers suggesting that if the water got any higher they should collect their vehicles from Cresslands Touring Park.

During Tuesday night the water levels ‘shot up dramatically’ but the touring park itself escaped ‘without too much damage’.

However as the flood receded it caused the cap from a borehole to break, cutting off water supplies to the whole caravan site and David’s home nearby, which he described as ‘ironic’.

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David, a former graphic designer, said: “I can’t have any customers here so my business is in a sticky situation.”

He added: “I have been crying for days.

“The heartbreaking thing is it was inheritance for my daughter and my retirement.

“This will really affect its value.”

Experts have been to assess the damage to the borehole but due to its age say it's not repairable and must be replaced completely.

Although the site is protected by insurance, the borehole was not included so David must cover the cost himself.

It is expected to be a £30,000 project but David only has enough money to cover a third of the cost.

“I’ve got 12 weeks to pull it out of the bag,” he said.

In the past four days more than £5,300 has been raised of the £20,000 target and David has been inundated with messages of support.

David’s fundraising page can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/cresslands-touring-park-survival-fund.

“It was a derelict waste site and it has been turned into an award-winning business,” he said.

“It’s been blood sweat and tears for the past 11 years and I have managed to build a nature oasis which is loved by so many people.”