Audio diaries

Commemorative wren carved by Bob Hunter

Flash floods devastated areas of North Yorkshire on Sunday 19th June 2005 in a matter of hours. Repairing the damaged property and getting people's lives back to normal will take months, if not years.

One victim of the floods was Bob Hunter. Bob Hunter runs Wren cabinet makers in Thirlby near Thirsk with his sons David and Gary, and daughter Jackie. He's lived there all his life, since 1933.

Not only were his home and garden flooded in the storms - but so was his workshop - and valuable seasoned oak was washed away down the beck.

Diary entry one, two and three

"We could not believe that in the space of two hours we'd gone from beautiful bright sunshine to this horrible raging torrent. All we could do is look and watch." Bob revisits that traumatic afternoon which saw his home and business devastated by flash floods.

"I have never known such kindness, we have had people writing letters, ringing up with offers, trying to help in so many ways. I feel to humbled that people have been so kind." Bob talks of the generosity shown by people, particularly colleagues in the cabinet making industry.

"It's surprising how much muck and mud there is left in all the corners and behind all the bits we haven't been able to shift yet." Bob contemplates clearing up his home and cabinet-making business, some of his wood travelled a mile and a half in the flood water.

Diary entry four, five and six

"We don't know how to thank him... You've got to admire people like this, it shows that all is not bad in the world." Bob is deeply touched by the kindness and generosity of Nick Coates, a hardwood supplier who hears of Bob's plight in the news. He delivered a trailer load of oak and would not take any payment.

"He says it's heart-breaking, he says he's having to fill the skip with toys which were bought for young, five-year-old Harry." Bob's son Gary is helping the assessors sort through his family's personal possessions, and decide what can be salvaged.

"Someone had seen another piece of oak down near Sutton, informed David my son, he's been to pick it up and it happens to be Della Cannings' seat." A piece of oak picked by North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Della Cannings to be made into a seat has been located and returned.

Diary entry seven and eight

"It's nice to be able to smell newly cut oak rather than that awful dust and muck that's been plaguing us for the last two weeks." Bob and his two sons enjoy returning to work, and get their heads down.

"It means we can now drive directly from Thirlby to Sutton, instead of having to do the long detour, which has added 6 or 7 miles to every journey."
Almost a month after the floods, the Thirlby to Sutton road is final re-opened.