Locals 'stranded' as village cut off by flooding

Residents were left "stranded" in their homes after a village was cut off by flood water.

Locals rushed to move their cars as a brook through the centre of Wolston breached its banks early on Monday morning.

Shan Dobinson, who lives in the village, said some locals were unable to leave their homes because of the deluge, which was thigh-deep in areas.

The flooding comes almost a year to the day after thousands of pounds of damage was caused by Storm Henk on 3 January 2024.

Widespread flooding struck across Warwickshire after snow and heavy rain hit the county over the weekend.

Ms Dobinson said she moved her car at 04:30 GMT when the waterway outside her home burst its banks.

By 08:15, the floodwater was thigh-deep where her car had been parked, she said.

"I started trying to move stuff [upstairs], but there was really not much I could do," she said.

"And then I lost all the electrics as well, so I couldn't even see."

Ms Dobinson had only been able to move back home in August after replacing her carpet and kitchen after the damage caused by last year's flooding.

"I've got to start all over again," she said.

Clare and Mike Turner were up in the middle of the night, desperately trying to barricade their home with sandbags.

They described the situation as "hell on earth".

"It was a living nightmare - but not for the first time," said Ms Turner.

In a post on social media, Wolston Parish Council made a plea for people with spare blankets and warm clothing to bring them to the local Baptist church.

It said that some residents were being evacuated from their homes by boat.

On Friday, a year on from the flooding in 2024, locals said they feared that they would be hit again during stormy weather.

The village was cut off, and thousands of pounds of damage were caused last year during the first flood seen in the village for 20 years.

Ms Dobinson said: "We've got to learn lessons.

"It was us that knew it was happening - nobody warned us - we warned each other."

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