Flooding causes havoc throughout South Lakeland and Eden (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Flooding causes havoc throughout South Lakeland and Eden
5:20pm Thursday 28th June 2012 in News
By Gazette newsdesk
Flooding at Highgate in Kendal
SOUTH Lakeland and Eden are experiencing chaos after flash floods caused havoc throughout the county.
Eyewitnesses said Highgate resembled 'a river' shortly after the downpour, which hit the town at about 1.30pm.
Rebecca Julian, who works in an office block next to Iceland, said: "It has flooded here before over the years but I have never seen it like this.
"It was like waves of water coming in to the ground floor.
"The road itself was awash with water and it looked like a river."
Staff in Iceland were wading in shin-deep water. They kept their doors shut as the floodwater outside was higher than a foot.
There were also reports of flooding problems at Beast Banks, Blackhall Road, Milnthorpe Road, Dockray, Marks and Spencer car park and Hallgarth.
Businesses in Stramongate were also mopping up with Kendal town councillor Lisa Oswick, who represents Kirkland, helping sweep water from the newsagent's shop and Glamorous next door.
Due to the amount of standing water on roads, particularly in areas of South Cumbria such as Barrow, Dalton and Askham-in-Furness, police are urging motorists to take extreme care and allow extra time for journeys and reduce their speed.
At Appleby Primary School, flood water entered the foundation stage unit play area.
Fire crews attended the incident and pumped out water.
The school will be fully closed tomorrow (Friday, June 29) for all year groups.
Reports at 5pm today said traffic was extremely slow on the A591 and A590 south of Kendal due to areas of standing water on the road.
Emergency crews were called to multiple properties across South Lakeland.
Several properties on the Hallgarth estate have been flooded.
The fire service is starting to pump water out of houses on Low Garth, on the estate.
The road, which had new tarmac only two weeks ago, has risen under the force of the water.
Low Garth resident Leanne Shepherd, 33, said: “The entire downstairs of my house is flooded, but what can you do?”
Wendy Edwards, who also lives on the estate, said: "This has happened several times over the last few years.
"We are the lowest part of the estate and nothing seems to be done about the flooding issues here."
There is also flooding at Milnthorpe.
Richard Bell, owner of Bell Clothing, said: "I have been here 27 years and it's never been this bad.
"We had about eight inches of water in the street outside and the shop opposite me, A2A, was flooded inside."
The fire and rescue service has been stretched throughout Cumbria because of the deluge, with crews called to more than 50 incidents.
In South Lakeland, emergency crews have been called to flooding incidents at Sizergh Castle, Sizergh; a house in Parkside Drive, Arnside; Milnthorpe Road, Cumbria; Iceland store, Kendal; Low Garth, Kendal; Dawson Fold, Lyth, Kendal; Leasgill, Milnthorpe; and Castle Park School, Kendal.
In addition to Appleby Primary School, Eden firefighters attended incidents at Gamblesby; Sakeld Road, Langwathby; Town End Cottages, Kirkoswald; Sakeld Hall, Little Sakeld; Bracken Hill, Great Strickland; and Croglin.
And in Furness, crews were called to various roads in Barrow, including Wheatclose Road; Brisbane Park Infants School, Blake Street; Friars Lane, Ewan Close, Schneider Road, Sowserby Avenue, Lesh Lane.
In Askam, flooding was reported in Sharp Street and Duke Street.
Trains north of Lancaster on the West Coast Main Line have been cancelled, but replacement bus services are running.
South Lakeland District Council has made sandbags available in Ulverston, Windermere and Kendal for the public to collect from the following depots up to 8pm tonight:
North Lonsdale Road Depot, Ulverston LA12 9DX
Ecclerigg Depot, Windermere LA23 1LJ
Canal Head Depot, Kendal LA9 7BY
The SLDC Contact Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8am – 6pm to deal with any enquiries regarding flooding and the number to call is 0845 050 4434.
To keep up to date with flood warnings, visit the Environment Agency website at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx
Please ring the News Desk on 01539 710161 if you hear of any flooding problems.
You can also text your flooding pictures in to 80360 beginning the message with 'KENEWS', followed by a space and then your description.
Comments(34)
doodleshire14
says...
3:37pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Kendmoor
says...
3:45pm Thu 28 Jun 12
tommycoops
says...
3:58pm Thu 28 Jun 12
gadgetgadget
says...
4:04pm Thu 28 Jun 12
nixon1
says...
4:09pm Thu 28 Jun 12
tommycoops wrote:and how do you know this?
The drains in Kendal are meant to be cleaned every 6 months, because of them making a mess with the contracts I know Kendal drains have not been cleaned for 14 months. This would not help the situation. Where are all the drain machines
Kendmoor
says...
4:25pm Thu 28 Jun 12
kevintipps
says...
4:38pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Old Fart
says...
4:43pm Thu 28 Jun 12
I have never seen anything as bad as this.
gadgetgadget
says...
4:44pm Thu 28 Jun 12
wet.
gadgetgadget
says...
4:47pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Perhaps our drainage systems need to be overhauled in light of the seeming on-going increase in rainfall levels.
ianrosie
says...
4:56pm Thu 28 Jun 12
gadgetgadget
says...
5:12pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Adam_Kendal
says...
5:21pm Thu 28 Jun 12
lakesman
says...
5:32pm Thu 28 Jun 12
nixon1
says...
5:43pm Thu 28 Jun 12
lakesman wrote:great to see comments like this on here nowadays. couldnt agree more with the weather being the only issue.
what aload of clowns some of you are,it put down 30mm of rain in an hour, even storm drains would struggle to cope with that, as for passing the buck who to blame, simple buck stops with the weather nothing else,
Kendmoor
says...
6:07pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Raffleton
says...
6:14pm Thu 28 Jun 12
gadgetgadget
says...
6:21pm Thu 28 Jun 12
But then I never expect the likes of lakesman (current ID) to show any sympathy for anyone. Perhaps if he gets flooded out with some human excrement he'll understand some of the issues.
gadgetgadget
says...
7:21pm Thu 28 Jun 12
As for what you know about me - it's clear you know nothing.
nixon1
says...
7:27pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Kendmoor wrote:great to see comments like this on here nowadays. couldnt agree more with the weather being the only issue :D lol
hmmmm..I'm not sure it would have mattered, it was a serious downpour, many places in the country simply can't handle that amount of water being swept into them.
newcmr
says...
8:07pm Thu 28 Jun 12
I was rather cross that the Community Policeman was seen speaking to the owner of the next door business but never bothered to speak to us as we were brushing out water. Of course I know that there was nothing he could do but a word of concern and sympathy would have been nice.In the 2 hours we were removing water no official came near so how come the Councils chief Exec said on TV tonight that they were helping affected people?
lakesman
says...
8:14pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Kendmoor
says...
8:20pm Thu 28 Jun 12
gadgetgadget
says...
8:22pm Thu 28 Jun 12
I didn't say it was all the council's fault at all ... I said in a cynical way that it could justify SLDC's expenditure on Highgate and put a "wink" at the end of that post to indicate it was sarcasm.
I accept that the weather was extraordinary and if you read my posts VERY carefully that was made very clear (see post at 4:47pm)
Instead however you decided to accuse me of being on drugs and that I am a clown. You know nothing about me as a person.
With regards to the land I referred to, it is completely unsuitable for building on whether it's for locals or others - lessons locally have not been learnt from previous failures on building on land that floods regularly. If you want to buy a house that is built on such land - don't let me stop you. I never said that ALL land is unsuitable nor that any more homes aren't needed - just in the right places on viable land. There is a difference but I expect the subtlety will be lost.
As for having a go at you - think you need to read your first post in this thread again and realize that insulting people is not the way to have a reasoned discussion.
Your very first words were ... "what a load of clowns some of you are" !!
hemyfan
says...
10:56pm Thu 28 Jun 12
I agree that building in areas liable to flooding is stupid. in fact criminally negligent. The consequences don't just affect future householders, they also cause flooding downstream as the "run off" can't find anywhere to go.
nixon1
says...
8:16am Fri 29 Jun 12
I could just imaging gadgetgadget sat in the kitchen replying angrily to comments written by lakesman sat in the livingroom. Or down the local pub both ranting to each other about how some guy on the WG website "hasn't got a clue".
sorry :D
gadgetgadget
says...
8:25am Fri 29 Jun 12
nixon1
says...
11:04am Fri 29 Jun 12
I think you may have meant to place a "I" at the start of your comment to use correct grammar.
Hope you find this helpful.
Witty Tanker
says...
2:49pm Fri 29 Jun 12
Surely it should be "an "I"", not "a "I"".
Furthermore, referring back to your earlier comments, perhaps you could try an apostrophe in "couldnt", and have a go at starting sentences with a capital letter.
Hope you find this helpful.
nixon1
says...
3:23pm Fri 29 Jun 12
BRAVO on the PERFECT grammar :D
you dont need any help.
gadgetgadget
says...
4:31pm Fri 29 Jun 12
"re-read" not "re read"
"don't" not "dont"
Full stop after "respond", capital "W" in wonder and question mark after "correct" ...
Hope you find this helpful. ;) :D
nixon1
says...
8:29am Mon 2 Jul 12
m u c h a p p r e c i a t e d ;)
Ladyxxmacbeth
says...
10:33am Mon 2 Jul 12
Kendmoor says...
2:37pm Thu 28 Jun 12