Homes flooded as Storm Henk brings high winds and heavy rain
Some people were trapped in their homes in Loughborough, Leicestershire, on Wednesday.
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Dozens of homes in Leicestershire have been breached or surrounded by water as Storm Henk caused widespread flooding across the country.
Some people in Bottleacre Lane in Loughborough remained trapped in their homes on Wednesday, after rising water from the nearby Grand Union Canal cut them off.
Fire and rescue teams are working to remove any stranded residents, and homeowners are trying to pump water out of the road.
The ground floor of Ivan Fletcher’s property, where he has lived for 16 years, is full of flood water, and his possessions have been moved upstairs.
The father of nine, seven of whom live at home, has moved six of his children to a relative’s home in Leicester, with one staying in the property.
He said: “I woke up this morning to this. There was water everywhere and it has got worse. There are bins everywhere, rubbish, and the kids were panicking and stressed.
“I moved my wife and the kids to Leicester with her sister, out of the way, and I’ll stay here with the cats and my eldest daughter.
“It happened about 12 years ago but it was never this bad.
“We had no warning at all.
“I think it’s disgusting. (We have had) no help at all, no-one has come to help us, just deal with it ourselves.”
Belton Road, which adjoins Bottleacre Lane, was closed on Wednesday morning after water levels rose overnight.
On Wednesday afternoon, water remained about knee height in places, having been higher earlier in the day according to residents.
We'll stay as long as we can, as long as it doesn't get any higher. We don't have anything to stop the water, other than hope and prayer
Emergency services have advised those with water coming into their homes to isolate their electricity supply if it is safe to do so.
Dave Cowdroy has lived in Bottleacre Lane for about seven years and said he had never seen flooding on the road.
He said his house has not yet been breached and he hoped that the water levels did not rise further.
He said: “It feels weird and terrible. If it gets any worse, it won’t be very nice.
“I looked out of the window this morning and saw water everywhere.
“We’ll stay as long as we can, as long as it doesn’t get any higher. We don’t have anything to stop the water, other than hope and prayer.
“It floods around the bottom of the road but never gets this far up.”
Elsewhere in the country, a man in his 50s was killed when a tree fell on his car near Kemble in Gloucestershire.
In Northamptonshire, several people had to be evacuated from caravans and houseboats at Billing Aquadrome, near Northampton, as heavy rain and high winds moved across southern England and Wales.
About 260 flood warnings, and a further 300 flood alerts, remain in place on Wednesday.
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