Written by Harry Leach and Mia Batley
FLASH floods wreaked havoc in Wythall on Sunday and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to people’s homes and cars.
Two streets which were particularly affected by the torrential rain and thunderstorms was Lynbrook Close and Sycamore Drive, both at the bottom of steep hills.
Newly-weds Joe and Hannah Toth have been left devastated after their home, which they had refurbished for £120,000 in January, was wrecked in the floods.
The property, located on the corner of Lynbrook Close and Hollywood Lane, had an almost entirely new downstairs installed – including a modern kitchen.
Mr Toth said: “My wife is pregnant and we only got married last month so this has really come at a bad time.
“I came home to find the whole of the downstairs completely flooded.
“Personal items such as wedding gifts and pictures were damaged which is by far the worst thing because they are irreplaceable.
“We’re unsure of how much the damage will be until our insurance comes out to assess the situation.”
Sandra and Robert Ford, who live opposite also had their home damaged when the floods started pouring through the back of their house.
“Our kitchen units, skirting board, dishwasher and electrical appliances were all affected by this horrible storm,” said Sandra.
“All we can say is, thank you very much to Bromsgrove District Council and Worcesterhire County Council for responding quickly and coming out to help us.”
Councillor Adam Kent, from Worcestershire County Council, said: “I have been knocking on doors personally to speak to every resident and see how we can help.
“Our priority now is to deal with the aftermath of this freak storm. Unfortunately the drains were not designed to take that kind of flooding.
“The effect it has had on the area is astonishing. For example, an elderly woman was trapped upstairs because her stair-lift had stopped working. She had to be rescued and has now been re-housed.
“A taxi driver on Sycamore Drive was trapped in his car and had to be pulled out the window.
“Brand new cars and homes have been destroyed. The cost of all this will be astronomical.”
Local district councillor and Leader of Bromsgrove District Council, Geoff Denaro, said: “I’m not joking when I say what we had on Sunday was a downpour of Biblical proportions. It was a non-stop torrent of rain and I haven’t seen rain like it in a long time.
“The drains couldn’t take the volume of water and as a result sewage spread all over people’s gardens.
“The water on Sycamore Drive must have been about 4ft deep and we estimate there is £500,000 worth of damage done to just the cars in the area.
“Someone showed me video footage and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. One family had only just come back from holiday and returned to this – it’s heartbreaking.”
Coun Denaro added there is likely to be more rain coming in and he is currently waiting for pallets of new lightweight sandbags to combat any future storms.
Local MP Sajid Javid said: “I am keen to do everything I can to help. I have been liaising with Worcestershire County Council and Bromsgrove District council – and I understand they are doing all they can.
“I want to make sure all my constituents are getting the support and access to services they need.
“I realise a number of people are having difficulty reaching their insurer. I have contacted insurers trade body and they have set up an email for anyone who’s been affected.”
Anyone who is having issues with their insurance can contact Coun Kent at [email protected]
