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Pub patrons spend night in Somersham local as floods blocked routes home

Emily Platt Kevin and Paula Gleed in sleeping bags on an air bedEmily Platt
About 20 people, including Kevin and Paula Gleed, spent the night camping on the pub floor

Patrons have told how their visit to a local pub became a true all-nighter after flooding left them stranded.

Emily Platt, 22, from Holbrook in Suffolk, attended a quiz at the Duke of Marlborough in Somersham on Thursday evening.

But after trying four different roads home, she decided to head back to the pub with other stranded regulars.

She said: "Having no exit route, [I] felt quite trapped really but we made the most of the situation."

Emily Platt People sleeping on air beds in the pubEmily Platt
The local community "rallied together" to deliver air beds and sleeping bags to the stranded patrons

Ms Platt said her party discussed cycling or walking home, but decided it was "too risky".

"We were coming across roads that were completely impassable," she said.

April Douglas, the pub's front-of-house manager, said: "I closed off about 22:30 GMT and then 20 minutes later everyone trickled back in."

Shaun Whitmore/BBC April DouglasShaun Whitmore/BBC
April Douglas said there was a big "community spirit" to help each other

Ms Douglas put out a desperate request for bedding on the Somersham Community Kindness page on Facebook.

"The whole community rallied together - we had blow up beds, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, all sorts," she said.

After a night in the pub, people were able to make their way home on Friday.

Ms Douglas, who lives in the pub with her family, said flooding has become a problem in the area.

"It's really bad. As soon as we get a bit of rain, everyone goes into panic mode."

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