ILMINSTER NEWS: Flooding – I don’t want to live in a hotel says man who had to leave his flooded home

AN Ilminster man has said he was forced to leave his home after being flooded out in the recent problems to hit the town.

Terry Fisher, of Wharf Lane, told people at a meeting on Tuesday (August 1, 2017) there was six inches of water in his home following the flooding and he did not know when he would be moving back in.

Mr Fisher said before Ilminster Town Council’s planning, highways and transport committee meeting that he was trying to stay focussed and not get emotional about it but admitted he was “bloody sad” about the terrible flooding which struck on Sunday, July 23, 2007.

“I don’t want to live in hotels,” he said. “But I don’t know where I’m going to be in two weeks’ time.”

Mr Fisher said that there was a lot of water run-off from the roof of Greenfylde First School into Wharf Lane which added to the problems as it did not have anywhere to go because of the blocked drains.

He was just one of many people to speak of their anguish, concerns and frustrations about the ongoing flooding problems in Ilminster which seem to happen more and more often without anything being done to rectify the problems.

Another resident Jonathan Graves-Morris, who suffered £40,000 worth of damage because of flooding in 2012, said the water was like an “avalanche” and went over the drains in Ditton Street.

“But as soon as the drains were cleared in Shudrick Lane and Ditton Street we could see the water go,” he said. “Why has nothing been done?

“There is clay under Ditton Street. It is beautiful and the potters would love to buy it, but it holds the water.

“We have got to keep kicking over this as Somerset County Council like to take our money in rates.”

Chris Lawrence, of Blackdown View, said the “water comes down at speed and volume and with the drains blocked it floods into and down North Street” and down into the town centre.

“I have contacted the authorities on numerous occasions and I get no response,” he said. “It would seem that doing drains are a priority and yet the consequences are devastating.”

Peter Jeeps said it was time that somebody took responsibility for sorting out the problems or they would just continue to keep happening.

“Somebody needs to take responsibility for this,” he said. “It just seems to be shuffled around.

“We have heard this all before and I have had lots of correspondence with the Environment Agency.

“I can’t believe in this day and age that there isn’t a feasible scheme that can be done.”

Jacqueline Purchase, of North Street, added: “Every time we have a shower the street becomes a river.

“The water comes down the hill and across the main road and down into North Street along with gravel and rubble. You don’t have to be very bright to know where the water is coming from.

“My heart bleeds for those people who were flooded last week because nobody really seems to care. They have lost business and what’s going to happen to their insurance?

“There seems to be lots of discussion and no action and I like action.”

A long-standing resident of Summerlands Park Avenue said she said the water come down New Road and then down into Brewery Lane where the drains were blocked and it was not long before the Shudrick steam had got very high.

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