A devastated couple are facing the prospect of having to demolish their dream home after it was almost completely submerged in floodwater that has devastated parts of East Yorkshire.
Kevin and Catherine Lorryman have been left ‘heartbroken’ at the prospect of losing their modest bungalow in the market town of Snaith after the River Aire burst its banks and flood plains were left overwhelmed this weekend.
The grandparents are just two of hundreds of homeowners who were evacuated from about 80 properties in Snaith and surrounding villages last week as Storm Jorge overwhelmed the area’s already-struggling defences.
Heartbreaking photographs from outside their home show it almost entirely underwater, with just its roof and solar panels protruding from the water’s surface.
Mrs Lorryman, 56, who shares the modest property with her husband, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, said: ‘Everything’s gone. We didn’t manage to save anything, even clothes. We’ve got nothing.’
Kevin and Catherine Lorryman have been left ‘heartbroken’ at the prospect of losing their modest bungalow in the market town of Snaith after the River Aire burst its banks and flood plains were left overwhelmed this weekend
The grandparents are just two of hundreds of homeowners who were evacuated from about 80 properties in Snaith and surrounding villages last week as Storm Jorge overwhelmed the area’s already-struggling defences
Heartbreaking photographs from outside their home show it almost entirely underwater, with just its roof and solar panels protruding from the water’s surface
The couple’s next door neighbours have suffered a similar fate, with their bungalow also facing the prospect of a total rebuild due to the high level of flood damage
Her husband Kevin told the BBC how seeing their home submerged under the water was ‘heartbreaking’ for the family, adding: ‘We are going to have to demolish I think.
‘We are just in a dream world at the moment and there are people all over this town exactly the same, it’s a nightmare.’
He told Hull Live: ‘We’ll probably never get insurance again. I’m going to have to flood proof it. I’m going to rebuild it in case it happens again. That’s all I can do.’
Other shocking images from Snaith show homes deeply submerged and the interiors of several houses completely destroyed, with water rising to the level of the top of kitchen counters.
Families made last-ditch attempts to save as much of their belongings as possible, with images from inside their deserted homes showing furniture piled on top of each other and prized possessions mounted on table tops.
Some 15 rivers in the Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire recorded their highest levels on record and the Environment Agency warned the country needs to brace itself for ‘more frequent periods of extreme weather like this’ because of climate change.
The downpours, which started with Storm Ciara and continued with Storm Dennis and then Storm Jorge, contributed to record river levels which saw hundreds of emergency staff working on flood defences and pumps, clearing debris and repairing damaged defences across the country.
A flooded interior of a home in Snaith, East Yorkshire on Sunday. Flood-hit towns took another severe battering this weekend as February was declared the wettest on record
Storm Jorge was the latest in a series which have struck the UK, bringing heavy downpours, 70 mph gales and snow. Pictured: a home in Snaith, East Yorkshire on Sunday
Two rescue workers in Yorkshire try to salvage the remains of people’s possessions after flood water devastated the area over the past few weeks
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said water levels are generally dropping or remaining stable in Snaith (pictured), Gowdall, East Cowick and West Cowick, but are expected to remain high for several days
Kitchen utensils and household goods in one house are stored on counters in a bid to avoid the devastating floods that have wrecked homes across the country
The owner of this house attempts to protect furniture from flood damage as the waters rise to waist level in their property
A home in East Cowick has been turned upside down after the River Aire burst its banks on Sunday following heavy rain
The UK average for this February was 202.1mm, beating the previous record in 1990 of 193.4mm since records began in 1862. Pictured: a kitchen destroyed by the floods in Snaith, East Yorkshire
One family in Snaith, East Yorkshire, desperately tries to hang on to every last one of their possessions by storing as much as they could on table tops
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said water levels are generally dropping or remaining stable in Snaith, Gowdall, East Cowick and West Cowick, but are expected to remain high for several days, with disruption continuing for residents
Flood-hit towns took another severe battering this weekend as February was declared the wettest on record, however it has now been 15 days since Boris hasn’t visited flood victims.
Storm Jorge was the latest in a series which have struck the UK, bringing heavy downpours, 70 mph gales and snow.
Rain-soaked areas in East Yorkshire have been battered by torrential downpours for several days causing the River Aire to bust its banks and leave an area the size of Lake Windermere under water, as shown by drone footage.
More than 78 homes and businesses have already been flooded in the area and residents at risk of more flooding have been urged to prepare by moving valuables upstairs.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said water levels are generally dropping or remaining stable in Snaith, Gowdall, East Cowick and West Cowick, but are expected to remain high for several days.
Andrew Percy, the MP for the area, met with residents and Environment Agency chiefs on Sunday, and called for the government to review how it allocates flood defence money.
Mr Percy, Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, said: ‘We live in a flood risk area, but there’s no precedent of it in this area, there’s no record of flooding in this area.
Dave Towers, 38, helps move belongings from homes on the heavily flooded George Street in Snaith, East Yorkshire on Sunday
Children’s toys are among the personal possessions engulfed by flood water in Snaith, East Yorkshire following several days of downpours
A fourth successive weekend of severe weather in the wake of Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis has left flood damaged parts of Britain struggling to cope. Pictured: a flooded interior of a home in Snaith, East Yorkshire
But more than 600 homes and a similar number of businesses in Wales have already been affected by the floods – accounting for around a quarter of properties flooded across the UK. Pictured: Snaith, East Yorkshire
The town of St Ives in Cambridgeshire surrounded by flood water again on Sunday morning after the River Great Ouse burst its banks on Saturday after the rain brought by Storm Jorge
Storm Jorge has swept into the UK bringing four inches of rain, fierce winds and snow as drivers are urged to avoid unnecessary travel. Pictured: Garden sheds floating in the flood water in Snaith as dozens of homes and businesses were hit by Storm Jorge
St Ives in Cambridgeshire surrounded by flood water again on Sunday morning after the River Great Ouse burst its banks on Saturday after the rain brought by Storm Jorge
Storm Jorge was the latest in a series which have struck the UK, bringing heavy downpours, 70 mph gales and snow. Pictured is St Ives in Cambridgeshire
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said water levels are generally dropping or remaining stable in Snaith, Gowdall, East Cowick and West Cowick, but are expected to remain high for several days. Pictured is St Ives in Cambridgeshire
A resident makes her way back through flood water after checking on her property as flooding affects homes and businesses after the River Aire bursts its banks in East Cowick, Yorkshire
The town of St Ives in Cambridgeshire surrounded by flood water. Dozens of flood warnings are still in place across England, Wales and Scotland, meaning immediate action is required
Men wade through water in a flooded house in the village of East Cowick, Yorkshire, after Storm Jorge battered the UK
A garden is completely submerged with flood waters after Storm Jorge brought heavy rainstorms and 70mph winds
A man and young child stand on a garage to stay dry in East Cowick as water levels rise from the swollen River Aire