Damage and disruption in storm-battered counties

10 hours ago

Jonathan Morris,South Westand

Lee Trewhela,Local Democracy Reporting Service

News image — Massive waves hit the shore at Croyde

BBC Weather Watchers/FoggyLens The picture shows a lone surfer standing on the shoreline, holding a blue surfboard and looking out towards huge, churning waves. The sea is rough and wild, with towering white‑topped swells crashing in the distance. The sky looks grey and stormy. — Massive waves hit the shore at Croyde

Storm damage is still causing major disruption across Devon and Cornwall, with flooded homes, roads and railways.

There are five flood warnings in Devon and two in Cornwall and the Environment Agency said, with the ground already saturated, river levels were expected to stay high for some time.

Flooding also means rail routes between Exeter St David's and Barnstaple, and Exeter St David's and Okehampton, will stay closed over the weekend, with a "very limited" number of replacement buses.

Trains are also cancelled between Liskeard and Looe and Par and Newquay because of flooding, with disruption expected until the end of Sunday.

BBC Weather Watchers/MaxieHJ This picture shows a plume of sea spray shooting high into the air, towering above the buildings and vehicles nearby. A harbour is churning with rough, fast‑moving water, and the sky looks grey and unsettled. A few parked cars and a piece of machinery sit on the quayside. — Waves lashed Porthleven in Cornwall

Devon County Council said about 50 teams were dealing with a backlog of nearly 2,900 pothole repairs.

Cornwall's fire service is also warning drivers to expect more heavy rain and to take extra care because standing and fast-moving water is making routes dangerous.

The warning comes after the South West was battered by Storm Ingrid last Saturday and Storm Chandra on Monday and Tuesday, with both causing widespread flooding and damage.

On Friday, the UK Met Office said it had been the second wettest January for Cornwall since 1836, and the ninth wettest for Devon.

A yellow rain warning is in place from 12:00 GMT on Monday to 09:00 on Tuesday.

Jennie Spicer The photo shows a flooded cottage with brown water pooled against the exterior walls, reaching several inches deep. The water has risen up to the doorstep and is spreading along a narrow path between the house and a stone wall. The stone wall beside the property is also wet, with water flowing along the adjacent lane where several vehicles are parked or attempting to pass. The road itself appears heavily flooded, with water streaming past the cottages and creating a fast, shallow flow. — Jennie Spicer's flooded cottage in Cornwall

Flooding has hit Jennie Spicer's 17th Century cottage at Ruan High Lanes in Cornwall three times this week, leaving her family back in temporary accommodation, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

She said she had repeatedly reported blocked drains and wants a CCTV investigation because the system is often buried under compacted mud.

"We cannot live like this, we haven't had a home in two years as we keep getting displaced by flood water," she said.

Cornwall Council said the area had a long history of flooding from water running off nearby fields, which overwhelmed drains designed only for highway runoff.

It said the drains were cleaned and functioning as expected and the issue had been passed to the Environment Agency to investigate.

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