Anti-flood pillows "floated away" » Communities » 24dash.com

Residents in flood damaged homes said today defences intended to safeguard their property simply floated away.

They were given expanding pillows designed like nappies to soak up 20 litres of water after the River Wansbeck burst its banks on Saturday in Morpeth, Northumberland.

Homeowners said the local authority was ill-prepared for the weekend's heavy, and they demanded answers from Floods Minister John Healey, who was visiting the market town today.

Simon Richell, 40 and wife Gez, 38, saved their three sons, aged 11, four and nine months, then tried to protect their four bedroomed riverside home.

Mr Richell, who works in neurological rehabilitation, said: "We feel disappointed and let down there was not more help until later on.

"We got handed these bags which expand to absorb water but they just floated off.

"We got told they were a trial.

"We ended up filling sandbags from the kids' sandpit.

"We were asking for help on Saturday morning and we were told the council was still filling sandbags."

The couple said lessons in flood response should have been picked up following the devastation in recent years in Hull, Carlisle and Gloucester, among other places.

Next door, Angela and James Cameron-Blackhall returned to their flooded home to find their goldfish dead on the front doorstep.

He said: "There has been a great deal of damage to furniture which has literally been thrown across rooms."

The minister was due to speak to local residents and business people about the flooding and the Government's response.