Retford: Couple 'worried sick' floods could damage home again

A man with motor neurone disease whose house was damaged by flood water during Storm Babet has said he may not be able to return home for a year.

John Orr, 62, and his wife Cynthia, 66, are living in a caravan on the drive of their Retford bungalow after the home was flooded in October.

Mrs Orr said she was "worried sick" that heavy rain would bring more flooding on Thursday.

The Environment Agency said mobile pumps would be deployed.

About 6in (15cm) of floodwater damaged the couple's Blackstope Lane home, after the Atlantic storm hit the UK early this year.

Mrs Orr said it was the third time the home had been flooded in recent times.

Her husband, whose mobility is affected by his illness, said living in a caravan provided by their insurance company was a challenge.

"The house is adapted for my disability - I can't do stairs or steps," he said.

"We were hoping to be back in the house in six months, but some of the people on the street have been told it may be a year.

"From the day after the flood, the carpets were out, fans and dehumidifiers were in.

"We've had a surveyor in and he says it's still damp. So it's a bit of a waiting game."

Mrs Orr said living in the caravan was "bearable" but the stress of the situation was "the worst thing".

"It's going to rain again so we're all worried sick along here about it flooding when we're just started the drying process," she said. "It's just constant stress."

She said not enough was being done to prevent flooding.

"Because we're only just a row of bungalows and we're not businesses, we're not really worth saving," she said. "That's how we feel anyway."

Sue Shaw, from Bassetlaw District Council, said work was being done to pre-empt future flooding, with heavy rain predicted for Thursday and Friday.

"People are clearly very, very upset and worried so we're ahead of the game this time," she said.

"They're going to put the pumps above ground because the culverts are not in great shape."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Teams will be out on the ground undertaking operational activity to minimise the impacts of flooding where possible, including setting up mobile pumps at Retford Beck."

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