Flood victim Ethel, 94, vows to return home

Sep 14 2008 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

A week of misery

:: SATURDAY: 1000 properties and 400 people are caught up in the deluge in Morpeth, and further evacuations are made in Rothbury, Felton, Powburn, Guyzance and Gosforth, Newcastle.

In Blackhall Mill, County Durham, 35 elderly residents are rescued when flood defences failed to hold back water levels. 100 homes are flooded in North Tyneside, with residents offered accommodation in hotels overnight.

The main areas affected were Dudley, Killingworth, Longbenton and West Monkseaton. More than £500,000 damage is caused to Morpeth Library and its extensive books collection.

:: SUNDAY: Police officers have to be rescued after being trapped in the Powburn area of Northumberland by two landslides. Their patrol cars are not taken until the next day. Work to restore the A697 could take months. The clear-up operation begins.

:: MONDAY: Floods recovery minister John Healey met victims of the disaster.

It emerges that plans to build updated flood defences in Morpeth were not pursued. The new defence system, which would have seen an embankment designed to protect one part of the town, was drawn up eight years ago, but plans did not get the go-ahead after residents living in High Stanners raised concerns that views of the green from their homes would be spoiled. And plans to build flood defences costing between £13m to £15m are being brought forward to avert future disasters

:: TUESDAY: Hotels and B&Bs begin to fill up with people made refugees by the weekend’s downpour. Staff at Castle Morpeth Borough Council work round the clock to find temporary accommodation for stranded residents, many of whom are currently camped out with friends and family.

:: WEDNESDAY: Farmers fear they’ll have to write off up to £1m as machines cannot get onto their waterlogged fields to harvest devastated crops.

The National Farmers’ Union warn food prices will be affected if crops have to be imported to make up for a shortfall.

:: THURSDAY: An appeal launched by Morpeth Lions Club to raise cash for the town’s flood victims reaches £20,000. Regional development agency One NorthEast announces a support package for businesses forced to shut down by the flooding.

:: FRIDAY: Estate agents across Northumberland launch an urgent search for empty rental property in a bid to help desperate flood victims from Rothbury, Felton, Guyzance and Morpeth who have been forced out of their homes.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall see at first hand the damage caused by the bad weather when they tour Morpeth.