Family 'lucky' to be out when landslip hit

A homeowner whose house was partially destroyed by a landslip said she felt lucky her family were out when it happened.

The slip in Hoarwithy, Hereford, at about 21:00 GMT last Friday, damaged two properties in total.

One of the affected owners, Suzanne, said she was still trying to make sense of what had happened. "Every time I come out here I end up crying," she said.

Herefordshire Council said it was awaiting the results of a survey of a nearby rock face to see whether the road adjacent to the properties could safely reopen.

"In the meantime, we ask all motorists and residents to respect the road closure and follow the diversions that have been put in place," a spokesperson said.

Suzanne said a lorry driver was the first to notice an electrical cable was down and alert their neighbours, who called emergency services.

But the end wall of her house was taken out, leaving her in shock.

"They secured the property as best they could to keep things safe and that's been it really since Friday," she said.

"We're just trying to make sense of a new normal for us as a family and where we go from here, because obviously it's going to be a really long time to put this right."

The second property, Withy Cottage, has been undergoing building work, said ward councillor David Davis, who has visited the site to speak to those affected.

He explained a previous landslip further up the road just over a year ago had caused the route to shut for months.

"Boulders came down on to the highway and the road was closed until that could be rectified," he said.

Herefordshire Highways teams attended the scene shortly after the landslip happened, the council said.

The authority said it had since been in touch with the landowner who was "taking steps to address the situation", adding that building control workers had inspected affected properties.

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