Residents of Lyndis Walk in Holbeach are returning to normality after the dramatic floods that meant they had to evacuate their homes.
The likes of 95-year-old Audrey Forman and 82-year-old Marian Johnson were among those who woke up on Tuesday, June 24 to find water levels rising inside their homes after days of rain.
It led to a huge clean up effort by South Holland District Council led by Housing Neighbourhood Officer Polly Clarey.
One of Polly’s memories was seeing Audrey wearing wellies and helping out on site when she got to the flooding in the (now ruined) fluffy boots her husband Michael had given her as a Christmas present.
Polly was taking her daughter to pre-school before working from home that day, but it ended up being the first of many hours over the next few weeks working in Lyndis Walk, including when she was meant to be on annual leave.
She was alerted by Holbeach’s fire crew which husband Michael is a part of.
“I knew it was going to be pretty bad given it was the fire service who were calling,” she said. “But it was worse than I thought.”
Marian said: “It’s my home, it was terrible. I don’t think I’ve cried so much in my life.
“I got up at 6.15am and the water was halfway up cars’ wheels. I could see damp patches appearing on my dining room carpet.”
Audrey said after being woken up at 4am by the storm: “I couldn’t sleep. I was just thinking ‘what are we going to do?’”
In total 24 people were evacuated as a result of the flooding including firemen lifting some to safety over the water which included over-flowing sewerage.
The families were housed in Holbeach Community Centre or at another council home in Cecil Pywell Avenue.
The council itself was part of a whole community effort in getting possessions out before starting the clean up operation to make the properties fit to live in again.
Initiatives included a residents’ WhatsApp group being set up to keep residents and their family informed.
“The residents couldn’t be more thankful of the council,” Polly said. “There were a few who kept popping back and those who did saw we were on the front line, making our own sand bags, brushing away water and just doing everything we could.
“I was really proud of the way everyone in my team and in the council came to help. Even my managers were out there literally shovelling faeces.
“It was a moment to say I’m proud to work with the council and we did a good job.
“It was part of the whole community coming together though. Jamie Moore of Jamie’s Carpets was fantastic and the fire crews too were fantastic and after finishing at Holbeach then had to go off to the flooding at Wainfleet too.”
