Spalding residents call for action as flash floods are not the first time they have suffered

Residents are calling on authorities to act as many of the roads hit by flash floods in and around Spalding have suffered problems before.

Though rainfall on Wednesday was exceptional, residents in Spalding’s Wentworth Close and Rowan Avenue are among those who have pleaded for action to prevent flooding after previous incidents.

Fire crews spent hours pumping water away from homes yesterday after getting more than 100 calls in Spalding and Pinchbeck.

Donna Burke, of Wentworth Close, Spalding, whose garden and garage were flooded for the third time in three years, said: “It’s a horrible feeling of helplessness.

“You stand here watching the water rise and you can’t do anything about it.

“The only reason we aren’t flooded inside is because the fire brigade have been here seven hours.”

Donna (58) and John Burke (57) desperately called fire services as they saw the water rising at midnight on Tuesday. Their garden, shed and garage flooded - but crews pumped water away and into the River Welland just in time to save the house.

Donna said: “It’s just devastating. I love my garden and it’s destroyed. One of our cats is missing, we feed hedgehogs and all their boxes are underwater. There are tadpoles floating around the garden.

“We’re extremely grateful to the fire services. If it hadn’t been for them each time we’d have had water in our homes.”

Neighbour Lorraine Buckingham said: “It’s a nightmare.”

Factory worker at Spalding’s Greencore, Matthew Poxon (35), of Rowan Avenue, said he and neighbours in Acacia Avenue and Chestnut Avenue - which he suspected was worst hit - had pleaded for action.

He said: “Every time we have a big downpour people’s houses and gardens flood. Nothing is done.”

Many streets in Spalding and Pinchbeck were impassable yesterday morning. Some of those affected included areas of the St Paul’s Estate, Spalding and Kelly Close, Rotten Row and Gallery Walk in Pinchbeck.

More than 120 sandbags were also distributed to areas of Spalding and Pinchbeck.

In Spalding, they went to areas around St Andrew’s Road, Station Street, Rowan Avenue, Willesby Road, Park Avenue, Fairfield Close, Fulney Lane North, Chaucers Way and Holyrood Walk. Plus, in Pinchbeck, bags went to Brownlow Crescent and Independence Drive.

West Marsh Road, Spalding, was also closed.

The loading bay at Bakkavor was understood to be covered in deep water half way up the cab doors of vehicles parked there.

South Holland district councillor Gary Taylor was left shocked when part of his home flooded.

Coun Taylor, who lives on West Elloe Avenue in Spalding, was also left without power as a result of the water.

He said: “It was a bit dramatic at 3am when the garden was completely flooded with water then coming into the utility room and conservatory.

“This was good though as it didn’t get into the house. Of course, then all of the power sockets went, leaving us without power.

“Our neighbours have been really helpful so we feel very lucky.

“It was a real shock to see but I feel sorry for people who are a lot worse off than us.”

Holbeach recorded more rainfall - 146.2mm - than anywhere else in the UK in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday - and our area suffered more than twice the entire month's average rainfall in that period.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “This is an exceptional amount of rainfall falling in a localised area.”