A week on, firms pick up the pieces after floods

Businesses in a town battered by floods after Storm Bert swept over the country have praised their community for supporting their efforts to reopen.

Streets flooded, roads closed and many shops and firms were badly affected in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, a week ago.

But, as BBC News visited the town to hear about recovery efforts, many said they were staying positive about the future.

"We all think about each other all the time so let's just try get back on our feet," Gary Thompson, owner of Mr Thom's sweet shop, said.

Halo Hair Studio was filled with mud after the flooding last weekend and staff said that they "did not know where to start" with repairs.

Since then, the team has worked 14 hours through the day and night to get the shop running and it is now half operational.

Victoria Hoskins, from the salon, said the floods could not have come "at a worse time" as the business reached its busiest period, ahead of Christmas.

"We're all just a bit heartbroken, you don't know what to think," she said.

However she added it was "lovely to see the community coming together" with local businesses "really appreciating" any customer support.

The town centre flooded after the nearby Kyre Brook rose and caused a wall to collapse with water surging along streets.

Richard Sharman reopened his florist Garlands Flowers on Thursday after repairing enough of the damage caused by the floods.

He said two-thirds of his stock had been lost and he was doubtful about whether he was going to be able to reopen at all.

"We worked hard, so for two days and nights you're scrubbing and cleaning, dumping the rubbish and breakages," he said.

Mr Sharman is staying positive and says he will stick with his motto of "working hard, put a smile on your face and hope people will come in".

Mr Thompson said coping with the floods had been "really, really challenging" and he hoped there would be some grants to support businesses.

Since the floods, people had been working in each other's shops to repair them and sweeping out debris to help continue trading, he said.

He added he really appreciated customers visiting small businesses like his, even if it was just for a "small purchase".

"Some of the shops won't be open yet and we'd be so grateful if you could just wait a few days for them to get back on their feet," Mr Thompson said.

"When you do see that they are open, if you could just pop in and show some support because they are going to be so grateful."

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