Kitchen Garden Forum

Been on a flood warning since yesterday evening as I live on part of the Thames flood plain. Earlier this evening we had a council official knock on the door and warn us to prepare for potential floods - max water level 2.00am this morning

Spent a frantic hour moving as much as possible up stairs and making plans to rescue the chooks if the garden goes under. Flipping British summers

Could be a long night

Sue

Good luck Sue

I've been watching developments on News 24 and am eternally thankful that our town is on a hill. I can't begin to imagine what everyone affected is going through.

Look after those chickens, they love living in the house if mine are anything to go by.

Keep us posted.

Dear Sue i hope things didn't get too bad last night.

My heart really does go out to those people that are under water at the moment, lets hope it stops soon.

We are OK so far, but they are now saying the flood surge could arrive sometime today. Luckily it's my day off so I can be on hand to sort the last few bits.

I have the chicken cage stading by so I can grab them and move them inside or transport them to my mums as she is on high ground.

Let you know how we do - but we are far better off than some. I think the council have just gone in a bit a heavy handed to warn us because of the flack elsewhere in the country that people did not get enough warnings or help.

Sue

Well that is good news Sue, lets hope it doesn't rise today.

I'm so sorry for you and all the people caught up in the water disaster. I have a friend in Cheltenham, and although his lot are OK, his office was under water, and his daughter had to wade through water up to her armpits to get home! He told me that there were policemen at supermarkets stopping customers buying TOO MUCH. Water is in short supply, and he is expecting the electricity to fail any time now.

Sue, I do hope you are OK. I've watched with mounting horror all the pictures on TV. I can't believe that we all offer so much help to stricken countries abroad when disaster strikes yet nobody, not even the European Union seems to be coming to our aid. Looks like we'll be standing alone again, like we were in WW2 in 1939. And still the Government are saying they plan to build on flood plains. I just can't believe the mentality of some of the people who have been elected to govern us.

Still on dry land but we are now on a new warning that flood waters may drain our way tonight. Wandered down to the river today and it is full to bursting and starting to come up over the banks.

Our house is pretty old (1890) and built on a slight mound as our area always was on a flood plain. When we replastered our living room we found a line on the wall and some writing to say thay was where the flood waters reached in 1947. That was before the new wier was built in Reading. The old wooden one collapsed in 1947 deluging my area in tons of water.

Homes next to the river have been issued with sand bags but the council have said we are on the outskirts of trouble so they will come back with sand bags for us if they think its going that way.

Last night was odd. After the council officals knocked on everyones doors, the street cleared of cars as we all rushed to park them on higher ground - luckily we have hills at the end of the street. As you walk down the road everyones living rooms are empty with all the furniture piled up. Some just left after that and went to stay with friends on higher ground.

The street went silent and those that stayed all held our breaths and waited. Opened a bottle of vino at about 11.00pm when the expected flood did not seem to be coming and then went to bed around midnight with fingers & toes crossed.

There is an odd atmosphere today, but nothing we can all do except wait. Like I say - those nearer the river are in a far worse position than us and compared to what some people have endured this week, we are lucky.

Sue

Sue Keeping fingers crossed for you and your neighbours that all will keep dry, will add a wee prayer as well.
Did you sleep in your day clothes in case you didn't get enough of warning?.

Bren

sue i hope youre still home and dry
watching it on the news seems surreal
thinking of you and your birds
jo x

Dear Sue, i'm ready with my bucket if you need me.

Still OK but river starting to rise now. Have driven through Sonning on my way to work and the road is flooded in 4 or 5 places.

Ready to dash home if need be but the floods in Oxford were far less than expected, so hopefully the same will be true for us.

We have all our vital supplies upstairs now Bren so should be OK Hope it doesn't come to having to bring the chooks inside Jops, but I'm sure they will love it if we do. Not sure if a bucket is going to do it OH, but I'll let you know

Sue

Sue
Glad you are still safe and dry, I gather you were going upstairs instead of moving out.
We were discussing over tea what we would take with us if we had to move out, as what I had seen on TV. people didn't seem to be taking anything with them, my son said he would make sure he had the house/contents insurance papers with him.
Bren

Some useful sources of information for anybody affected: (provided of course that they still have electricity and access to a computer !!)

Citizens Advice Bureau http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/wha ... ictims.htm
National Flood forum http://www.floodforum.org.uk/
Environment Agency http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/
Government website http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndComm ... /index.htm
For Gloucestershire: Location of Water Bowers http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/co ... ture.shtml

There is also a Flood Forum with hints and comments on http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/for ... html?f=144

We have got a guarded 'all clear' now. They are saying we are now unlikely to flood, but don't take the sand bags down juuuuuust yet.

Anyway, best news all week and can relax a bit now. Sympathies to anyone not so lucky. It's been horrible waiting for it to happen. Can't imagine how awful it is to see the water making its way into your house.

Sue