Home for Christmas

At the weekend occupants of Bridge Street and Park Street in Pickering, who were washed out in June, returned to their properties in time for Christmas.

Kath Grayston, owner of Bridge House Guest House, said she will be glad to see the back of this year, which has seen her living out of a suitcase while her home was slowly drying out.

She said: "Things are getting back to normal and I'm just relieved that I will be home for Christmas.

''There's still work that needs doing and the business won't be up and running until February at the earliest. It's been a dreadful year and so much stress - but we are all still living with the threat that this could happen again at any time."

This week an independent review into the floods was released and urged action by the Government and individuals to protect homes in the future.

Sir Michael Pitt, the author the report, said planning for floods had to be taken as seriously as fighting terrorism, highlighting a list of failings including the lack of a national flood emergency plan.

He said local authorities must take responsibility for flood risk management and must be given the power to scrutinise the heads of water, electricity and drainage companies.

"Flooding is here to stay; if anything it's going to get worse, " he said.

This is cold comfort for the dozens of people in Sinnington and Pickering who lost their possessions and were driven from their homes.

Another family who are only moving back into their home this week is Peter Bolton and his partner Lisa Graham, with their two small children.

The steward of Pickering Conservative Club only moved into the rented property, which is owned by the organisation, less than two months before the downpour.

Peter said: "The only possession we managed to save from the downstairs was the television set. We lost everything - even the children's toys.

"Since the floods, the generosity of local residents has been amazing. A friend from the club has rented us his property and people have been doing odd jobs just to get us back in our home.

''Because we had only just moved into the property we hadn't got round to buying household insurance. It's going to cost us up to £20,000 to replace everything.

"It will be fantastic to be at home for Christmas but we will always have the threat of another flood hanging over our heads."

The report into the floods has been branded "an insult to victims" by local campaigners.

It is estimated that it will cost £3.5 million to repair the damage in Pickering and a fund has been handing out grants to those worst effected.

For years campaigners have been fighting for government support for a £6.7 million flood defence scheme to protect the town, which has already been drawn up.

"We have been flooded six times in eight years and this review will do nothing to prevent it happening again, " said Coun Howard Keal, leader of Ryedale's Liberal Democrats and spokesman for the Pickering Flood Defence Group.

"It's a massive fig leaf to cover Government embarrassment at its failure to adequately fund flood defences.

''It's totally outrageous to say people should do more to protect themselves. It's worse than a bad joke and an insult to flood victims.

"These apologists seem to find it difficult to come to terms with the truth - that the Government has a duty to communities like Pickering to put money into providing flood defences."

At a meeting of Pickering Town Council on Monday night members agreed an action plan to help to deal with any future floods.

Coun Brian Baker told the gathering that leaflets have been specially produced, giving advice on how threatened householders and businesses can protect themselves.

Among the advice people are urged to sign up to an Environment Agency warning system, which contacts households and businesses that are likely to be flooded.

According to officials, only 20 per cent of people in Pickering have signed up to the service, compared with twice the number nationally.