‘It could have been prevented’: Worksop family speak of devastation after their home flooded – causing £3k of damage

About 80 properties were affected by flash flooding in Worksop, which saw 93 millimeters of rain fall in just three hours – the average monthly rainfall is just 60mm.

Nigel and Emma Kirk, of Kensington Way, have revealed they have sent an insurance claim of up to £3,500 after water swamped their home and ruined their flooring and furniture, including a sofa bought for £5,000 three years ago.

The couple, who have five children, aged eight-18, have blamed the problem on blocked drains in their street.

On August 16, Nigel, aged 41, returned home from work as the rain began falling and saw the water levels were rising.

Nigel then drove to meet his wife, Emma, 39, who works near the River Ryton, to tell her to move her car out of the way of the incoming flood.

When they returned home, they found their children moving furniture upstairs as water had already begun entering their home.

Nigel and eldest son Michael then worked through the night to get the water out of the house.

NIgel said: “We didn’t go to bed until about 3am. It probably took us until half past midnight to get all the water out of the house and then we had to start ripping up the floor.

“The neighbours were absolutely brilliant. They all just threw everything they had – bed sheets, towels, anything they could get their hands on.

“We were trying to sweep it out as best and as quick as we could, but as quick as we were trying to sweep it out, it was just coming in.”

One neighbour took a pipe and rodded the drains which saw the water levels in the street begin to go down slowly.

Nigel said: “We’ve lived here now eight years and in eight years we’ve never known the council to go around and clear any drains or anything.

“When you look down the drains now, they’re just full of mud and leaves.

“We shouldn't have had to go through this. You just think, is it going to happen again? Maybe next year or the year after, you just don’t know.

“It could have been prevented.”

Nigel submitted a request to Nottinghamshire Council to clear the drains outside their home, only to receive a reply that stated the request did not meet their criteria for intervention or repair, as it did not ‘pose a threat to public safety’.

It stated: “We receive many enquiries relating to either highway drainage or a flooding event caused by extreme weather conditions, beyond which the reasonable design capacity of the drainage system can be expected to cope with.

“If the issue does not pose a threat to public safety, we will not be able to intervene in these instances.

“We do undertake routine inspections of the highway network and the associated drainage systems are regularly cleansed as part of a planned regime.”

The county council has been approached for further comment.

Nottinghamshire County Council has a flood hardship fund where residents can claim £120, and businesses that employ up to 49 people can claim £300.

To find out more, contact the council on 0300 500 8080.