‘Biblical deluge’ flood victims living in caravans 6 months on
FLOOD VICTIMS forced to flee their Yorkshire homes in November’s “biblical” deluge are still living in caravans and unable to return home almost six months on.
Fishlake in Doncaster was evacuated in early November when the River Don burst its banks, with residents facing an anxious wait as loss adjusters worked out the cost.
Families were told it could be up to a year before they could return to their homes – but they now fear this could be delayed further as repair work is put on hold.
The Davies family are now isolating in a caravan on their driveway, after work planned for their bungalow for April 13 was postponed. “We are the only residents on our street at the moment, our neighbours are all renting in another village,” said Glyn Davies, 64.
“We’re totally isolated at the
moment and have been for some time.
“We have been like this since December.”
Mrs Davies, a sales administrator aged 50, is working from ‘home’ during the lockdown.
The pair had been on their way to the Lake District for a holiday when the floods struck, so were unable to move any of their belongings in time.
Their bungalow, which they bought in 2012, was deluged by at least 2ft of water and the car on their drive was also lost to the floods.
Fellow Fishlake resident Alan Buck has also been living in a caravan since December.
The retired glass factory worker, 76, had lived in his bungalow in the village for 36 years before the downpour washed him out, although he was alrted in time to save some of his most prized possessions.
Since December, he has stayed in the caravan, now parked on his neighbour’s drive as his was left uneven by the flood damage. Like the Davies’s, work was due to get underway in his property in the coming weeks, but he now faces even longer in the caravan.
He said: “It’s not ideal but it has to be done.”