SAMANTHA Bowring pays tribute to her three children, who mucked right in after their Abingdon home flooded.

Mrs Bowring, 42, said: “We live in Turberville Close and when the River Ock burst its banks ours was one of 433 homes and 21 businesses affected.

“It was the neighbourhood cats that raised our flood alarm. “At 4am people went to see what was wrong and found the street awash.

“I went downstairs, opened the door and was just in disbelief. My husband was away at a conference so I woke up my daughter first.

“She started to knock on neighbours’ doors.

“Then I woke my son James and he started unplugging everything.

“The police turned up just as the water came in through our back door, but we were pretty calm. It wasn’t until the next day that I thought: ‘Oh my God!’”

She continued: “The children were brilliant and even took the opportunity to enjoy some boating in the road outside. “Being out of the house in emergency and then rented accommodation was difficult and five years on we are still chasing the insurance company to completely fix our kitchen.

“When I see floods on TV now it makes me nervous. Walking around your home in water is something you never forget.”

MARIA Banks’ main concern when her Hinksey home flooded was the care of her Boxer dogs, Merlin and Malachi.


Miss Banks, 46, and a detective sergeant with Thames Valley Police, said: “Nothing could prepare me for the shock of seeing that water creeping towards my home and then spilling in from every direction. I had to get the dogs to my parents’ house.
 

“Dogs need dry ground and I knew they would find the water stressful. The worst bit though is afterwards, when the water subsides.


“There is a stench that just won’t go and pervades everything – your house, your garden – even you!”


In a bid to protect her home, Miss Banks has installed £15,000 of flood protection including under-floor plastic membranes, pumps and emergency generators.


She said: “You can never fully prepare for it. But I do feel better equipped.”

‘Nothing put praise for authorities’

RICHARD Thurston is chairman of the Osney Island Residents’ Association and a member of the Oxford Flood Alliance.
Mr Thurston said: “My wife Vicky and I spent the night listening to the radio which said that water would peak at 9pm, then 1am and then on and on. During the House of Lords Inquiry afterwards I was actually quoted by Baroness Young as saying: ‘There were more peaks than the Himalayas!’
“I have nothing but praise for the authorities in Oxford, but I think there were lots of false alarms about the water levels which confused people.”