Why was I refused help?

A WORCESTER woman driven from her home when it was flooded by sewage claims Severn Trent refused to give her sandbags.

Mother-of-two Pauline Makepeace, an agoraphobic, has had to flee her house in Diglis, which she says has been left caked with waste matter.

"It's especially distressing for me because I am an agoraphobic and registered disabled," said Miss Makepeace, who described herself as a "nervous wreck" as a result of the evacuation.

One of the few trips outside her house was seven months ago, when she gave birth to her son, Louis.

"I have a fear of people and traffic, and my home is everything to me. I've not been outside Worcester for 10 years," she added.

Miss Makepeace said she called the water company for help last week as the waters threatened her Diglis home.

She alleged Severn Trent turned down her request for sandbags at first, saying it was Worcester City Council's responsibility.

"I rang the council and they insisted it was Severn Trent's job," said Miss Makepeace.

"A very helpful officer called David Denning told me some technical information to quote to Severn Trent and the water company then agreed to send sandbags."

She claims her house was also nearly flooded with sewage at the start of the year and called on Severn Trent to improve the drains in the area.

A spokeswoman for Severn Trent said the company had worked "flat out" to counter the floods in Diglis.

"If we know a house is in danger of flooding we would deliver sandbags," she said.

"Sandbags were delivered to Miss Makepeace after she contacted the city council and was told to call Severn Trent. Perhaps there has been some miscommunication."

Severn Trent's drainage systems were not inadequate, added the spokeswoman, but it had been "swamped" when the river rose so quickly.

Anger over raw sewage

UTILITY giant Severn Trent has come under fire from flooded residents in a Worcester street faced with raw sewage floating into their homes and gardens.

Householders in Waverley Street have signed a 30-strong petition urging Severn Trent to help clean away the floating waste from their homes.

Mother-of-five Mary Dhonau is demanding the company takes action immediately and claims it is environmentally hazardous and is exposing them to harm.

Ebbing water levels in Cherry Orchard's Waverley Street have returned to previous levels following the heavy rain over the weekend.

"We want Severn Trent to clean it up and sort it out," said Mrs Dhonau.

"It is an environmental health issue and there are children being exposed to raw sewage in their homes and gardens.

"The drains are backing up and people are scared to go to the toilet or bathe because they think it is going to come back into their home.

"Thirty people are appalled by the situation but nobody cares about us. We feel we are always ignored.

"When I was collecting signatures I was walking through human sewage and sanitary towels - it was disgusting.

"I phoned Severn Trent and they said 'oh, we didn't know your street was flooded'.

But a Severn Trent spokesman said workers had to wait until the floods had receded.

"If the sewers are under water, inevitably what is in them will come out," he said.

"The reality is we have to wait for the waters to recede before we proceed with the clean up."

Scramble for surfer

A WINDSURFER sparked a major rescue operation when he got into difficulties on the flooded River Avon, near Bredon.

The County Air Ambulance was scrambled at around 2.35pm yesterday after a passer-by spotted the man floundering in the icy water.

The fire brigade launched its inflatable rescue craft.

But the windsurfer, who has not been named, was thought to have scrambled out of the swollen river to safety further downstream and the air ambulance turned back.

Fire brigade spokesman Alec Mackie blasted the man for wasting already stretched emergency services' time on "recreational pursuits".

"Don't do it, is the quick and safe and sensible answer," he said.

"Even if you think you're an expert, experts get into trouble.

Storms may delay return

PATIENTS evacuated from Worcester Royal Infirmary's Castle Street site may have their return delayed following another spell of bad weekend weather.

Members of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust were due to meet earlier today to discuss the situation.

Sixty-seven patients - who had undergone orthopaedic, head or neck surgery - were removed from Castle Street after flood water came within six inches of the hospital's main power supplies.

Firefighters were sent to the hospital at 10am last Thursday to pump out floodwater.

A spokeswoman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said patients were now "settled and comfortable" with medical and nursing teams from the WRI looking after them.

"Castle Street remains closed and will remain closed depending on weather predictions," she said.

A helpline for patients and relatives with questions about appointments and services has been set up by the Trust on 0800 413315.

Businessman gauges reaction to mark offer

AS flood levels in Worcester peaked last week, attention turned to marking the historic event on the Cathedral water gate.

The portcullis gate, beneath the Ferry Cottage, has acted as the city's gauge of watery woes throughout the centuries.

One man with a particular interest is Worcester businessman Peter Underwood, who had the task of recording the watermark on the gate in the Great Flood of 1947.

"The water had got so high that the boat just went under the arch," said Mr Underwood, of Bradfords Underwoods Building Merchants, in Tolladine Road.

Mr Underwood was a 16-year-old King's School pupil when he was put in the Cathedral ferry and pushed out through the water gate from the College Green side.

"I remember it well because a photographer came out from the Evening News and Times and took a photograph of me pointing to a mark from 1886, which was the highest ever," he said.

At the age of 70, Mr Underwood, of Welland, near Malvern, has now offered his services once more.

"I'm quite happy to do it again," he said.

Cathedral Steward Michael Lumley, however, said conditions were far too dangerous.

"If the emergency services have a suitable boat, that would be an option," he said.

Worcester City Council's emergency planning co-ordinator, Richard Dear, confirmed that last week's flood level had been temporarily marked on the Cathedral water gate.

Slow down

MOTORISTS across Herefordshire and Worcestershire were today being urged to slow down by West Mercia Police due to high amounts of water on the countys' roads.

Officers urged drivers to use extra care when travelling across the county, adding the following roads were still closed due to flooding:

The road from Letton to Kinnersley.

A4103 Hereford side of Fromes Hill.

B4352 at Bredwardine and the B4203 at Upper Sapey.

Junctions three and four of the M50 Eastbound.