Air raid sirens and mental trauma ... life in a town deluged four times over eight years
Nick Shields measures his time in Hebden Bridge in floods. The jewellery shop owner has been deluged four times in eight years after opening up his business in the West Yorkshire market town with the combined clean-up costing more than £100,000 – not all of which has been paid out by insurance.
After spending the past week cleaning up the mess from Storm Ciara, this weekend suffered fresh deluge as Storm Dennis hit. “The emotional impact takes its toll,” he says. In recent days residents of Hebden Bridge and neighbouring town of Mytholmroyd have rallied together to clean up the latest flood, which affected hundreds of homes and businesses.
But there is a growing fear about the emotional impact of such sustained flooding on the town with rising cases of depression and anxiety.
This week Healthy Minds, the mental health charity, has stationed specialist teams in Hebden Bridge, speaking with traumatised flood victims – some of whom liken the experience to a bereavement.
Other residents admit they now suffer post traumatic stress disorder symptoms as soon as they hear the Second World War air raid sirens which warn a flood is imminent.
According to Mr Shields, in the aftermath of the 2015 Boxing Day flood in Hebden Bridge a friend and fellow business owner who had been flooded later committed suicide.
“Maybe it was a complex series of events but undoubtedly the impact of having her business under water contributed to that,” he says.
Mytholmroyd was the worst hit town in the aftermath of Storm Ciara.
Temporary barriers installed in place of the town’s delayed £30million flood defences, which remain under construction, spectacularly failed as the River Calder burst its banks.
Martin Chipp and Emma Wrackle, a married couple who moved in last year with their four children, were among those flooded. They bought their house knowing of the risk, but felt confident the new defences would work. Last week’s floods have left them with a repair bill of £3,000 which they will pay themselves due to the difficulty of insuring the property.
Their daughter Ruby, 7, is battling a cancerous brain tumour and recently underwent chemotherapy. Should she have to endure another round of chemotherapy, her parents say they will be forced to move out due to the fear she will be infected by filthy water when her immune system is down, or emergency vehicles will not be able to access the property if required.
Another neighbour Paul Fazackerley, 37, a primary schoolteacher, is also cleaning up from his first flood after recently buying his home. With Storm Ciara having caused damage in excess of £25,000 to his home he admits he is trying not to think about Storm Dennis.
“I can’t afford to be depressed about it,” he says. “If I fall into that rut then I’m not sure I would be able to get out of it again.”
The emotional and financial strain has proved too much for some affected business owners who are selling up – but others battle on. At the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Hebden Bridge weary staff were once more battening down the hatches ahead of Storm Dennis.
Amy Houghton, the head chef, estimates it will be two months before they can reopen. The last time the pub was flooded out in 2015 it took six months. “The harder we work now the sooner we can be open and earning money again,” the 30-year-old says.
‘I can’t afford to be depressed about it. If I fall into that rut then I’m not sure I would be able to get out of it again’