Simon Thomson watched as a “tidal wave” came rushing through his back garden.

He had been helping clear the water from his neighbour’s garden as it seeped through a wall into his land.

He said: “The garden wall eventually collapsed and there was a tidal wave which came through into our garden.

“My garage was flooded probably by an inch or two of water and a few things in there have been damaged like photographic negatives.They don’t have a great financial value but they do have a considerable personal worth.”

His garden, he added, was now caked in mud.

Mr Thomson, who works in IT, lives in Manor Road with his wife and two children and they were able to return to their house last night.

He paid tribute to the 35 firefighters who came to the aid of villagers.

“The fire brigade was brilliant and here really early,” he said.