A KEMPSEY family who suffered 29 years of flooding misery have spent £30,000 on new defences to protect their home.

The Oram family were recently featured in your Worcester News, calling for action in the village after their 16th century thatched cottage was flooded for the 22nd time.

Since then, a firm from Swansea has fitted a waterproof system, similar to one used to protect London’s Tower Bridge, around the house.

The defences went through an unplanned field test last month when heavy rain fell across the county. The cottage stayed dry while a neighbouring house was flooded.

Catherine Oram Garner, aged 34, who grew up in the cottage with sister Beth Ould-Oram and their parents, said: “These guys are my heroes. It is the only thing which has worked.”

She added: “I thought I’d better pinch myself because the cottage stayed dry.”

The cottage – one of two thought to have served as field hospitals during the English Civil War – in Church Street, is inundated each time there is heavy rainfall.

It has been hit by floods 22 times in 29 years with insurers refusing to cover the house against flooding since 2001.

The torrential weather in July 2007 caused 4ft (1.2m) of contaminated water to swamp two-storey Grade-II listed building and forced the family to move out.

Mrs Oram Garner said: “My sister was getting married and three days before the wedding it flooded – we were told it was a once in 140-year event.”

Neil McDermid, co-owner of Total Flood Solutions, of Swansea, wrote to the family last year and offered a possible solution to the Oram family’s troubles.

He said: “I don’t think people realise how psychologically damaging it is.

“A lot of people flooded out just don’t want to go back to their house.”

Mr McDermid added: “We give a guarantee and come back every year to survey the work.”

The defence’s key element is an impermeable membrane fitted around the cottage’s ground floor, above and below ground, called Icopal.

A render and reclaimed oak timbers are then fitted on top. It is a 200-year-old Scottish invention.

A series of sumps, pumps and non-return valves have also been installed inside and outside and the entrances fitted with demountable door guards. Thanks to the new defences, the family is now able to insure their home.