Millbrook Flooding -Sat 24th November, 2012

Okay this post should have been a photo reportage of our event at Maker Junction, Maker Heights, but yesterday saw a series of unfortunate events that culminated in hours of chaotic scenes but at the same time, calm & organised. Here's what happened from our perspective....

Firemen from Torpoint checking on residents in King Street, Millbrook with waters fast rising

 Early Saturday afternoon, we were in the midst of setting up for the event at Maker, when a glance at the weather & forecast throwing doubt as to the incoming conditions & concern for people's safety travelling home back to Plymouth with reduced ferry services. After conferring with Simon at Maker Junction, calls were made to the events guest speakers Cyberheritage, & local authors Laura Quigley & Barbara Marlow & by 3pm made the decision to cancel the event...when things go wrong we always say 'In hindsight...' - in this case, hindsight served us well but nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to witness.

 By 6pm heavy rains were battering South east Cornwall, & from 7:30 I headed back into Millbrook greeted by what I can describe as driving down a shallow river into the village littered with debris & rocks washed from the hedgerows. It was only when I reached the Heart & Hand pub that I realised that property was taking on water big time & reaching the market square was just blown away by the amount of flooding within such a short space of time.

 With sluice gates firmly shut the village of Millbrook took an onslaught of water cascading down Hounster Hill branching off down all streets into the village centre, manholes sprouting geyser like flooding the main West Street & engulfing homes & businesses. The Spar shop two feet deep in cold water,the Devon & Cornwall pub more, maybe three, four feet. Quay Garage & Millbrook Petrol Station were getting higher water levels by the minute fromSmall businesses & homes battered with the torrential onslaught with many working throughout the night mopping up the mess. What was great to see was how the community clubbed together to assist wherever they could. With emergency services overstretched & overwhelmed throughout Devon & Cornwall it was down to everyday people who took the situation in hand & tried to protect their's & neighbours property - who said community spirit isn't alive & well.

 Thankfully, to our knowledge, nobody was seriously hurt but people's possessions & livelihoods have been affected badly by this & after speaking with a friend of Hidden Plymouth, Tim Newcombe who has set up a Facebook group for affected Millbrook residents Millbrook Flood Help we have set up a PayPal Donation page to hopefully raise a few pounds for this. We hope you take the time to read this & please, feel free to leave comments & a little moral support.

Please head over to Millbrook Flood Help Facebook Group to see if you can help in any other way.

Many thanks - Hidden Plymouth.