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Digger driver rescues his grandparents from flood

Ryan Wesley A view from inside a bungalow, looking through an open window, as a yellow digger drives through brown flood water towards it. A man wearing an orange hi-vis vest is standing in the bucket of the digger.Ryan Wesley
Ryan Wesley drove the digger up to his grandparents' bedroom window, while his father Dean (pictured) helped them climb into the bucket

A farmer used a digger to rescue his grandparents from their flooded home.

Ryan Wesley drove them to safety in the digger's bucket after the couple, who are in their 80s, escaped through a bedroom window of their bungalow in Billingborough, Lincolnshire, on Monday.

Along with his father, Dean, he also rescued a pregnant woman and elderly people before the water got too deep for the digger to operate.

A major incident was declared by authorities after flooding affected scores of properties around greater Lincolnshire.

Simon Spark/ BBC Three men stand in a row smiling and looking into the camera. Ryan Wesley (left) has short brown hair and is wearing black glasses and an orange hi-vis coat. Hayden Wesley (middle) is wearing a tweed cap, glasses and a tweed coat. Dean Wesley (right) has short grey hair and is wearing an orange hi-vis coat. Simon Spark/ BBC
Ryan (left) and his father Dean (right) rescued Hayden (centre) from the bungalow

Ryan drove the digger through badly flooded streets after hearing that his grandparents' home was surrounded by water.

By the time he and Dean got to the bungalow, the water had started to flow through the doors, he said.

"The water was rising that rapidly, it was obvious that we had to get them out," Dean added.

The couple managed to climb out of the bedroom window and into the digger's bucket.

Ryan Wesley A photo from inside a yellow digger. It is driving through deep brown floodwater. There are two vans in the distance, with water up to their windows. Ryan Wesley
Ryan continued rescuing villagers until the water became too deep to drive through

By then, the water had risen to about 3in (7.5cm) and at the height of the flood it was about 1ft (30cm) deep, Ryan said.

His grandfather, Hayden, said he was "really pleased" that Ryan and Dean were on hand to rescue them.

"At the time, I wasn't frightened because I'd got Ryan and Dean here and everything just went as clockwork," he added.

After driving his grandparents to safety, Ryan returned to rescue more people from their homes, but had to stop as "the water got too deep, even for the digger".

"That last trip, when you couldn't see the front wheels of the digger, the water was over it, it was a bit hair-raising," he added.

At least 88 properties have been flooded internally in the county, according to the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum.

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