Motorists have had no choice but to abandon their cars after they were submerged in floodwater near Cardiff on Thursday, January 12. Villagers in Peterston-super-Ely, just outside of Cardiff in the Vale of Glamorgan, are well-used to navigating challenges of flooding each year when the River Ely overflows, but commuters who use the main route through the village each morning and evening have often been caught out.
Eyewitnesses have told WalesOnline how six motorists had decided to attempt to drive through the water following a period of heavy rainfall on Wednesday and overnight, before their cars stalled in the water which by Thursday afternoon had made the road look more like a river. Di Donovan, who lives in the area, said: “Even though I live here and experience it so often, this time I came over the railway bridge and it was a horrific sight. Even though I’ve been in Peterston for 40 years this has shocked me seeing the water like that. Suddenly you’ve got a seaside on your doorstep.”
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On Thursday locals walked down the hill shaking their heads in disbelief when they saw the cars in the water - almost fully submerged in some cases. Upset motorists were consoled by Jennie Donaldson-Pugh, who has lived in the village for 25 years and has lost count of the amount of times she has invited people into her home who have had to abandon their cars in floodwater outside.
Explaining the scene on Thursday morning, Jennie said: “They scrambled up the bank and across the road there. This was at about 8am this morning. I think they didn’t realise when they were driving into it that actually the road dips down and it’s quite deep in the middle, and when they started to come through the river was actually coming over and the motion of the vehicles was causing waves.”
Remarkably Jennie’s house has only flooded once in the time she has lived in the village despite being feet away from the dipped road where the flooding happens with alarming frequency. Nextdoor to Jennie’s home the Sportsman’s Rest pub floods often too. Locals said in one winter the pub flooded four times. Pictures taken on Thursday show the recently vacant pub under water.
“It’s not just flooding it’s basically waist-height isn’t it,” Jennie continued. “I do feel sorry for those caught up in it again. They came in here and I made them a cup of tea and they contacted their rescuers to come and get them.
"Of course they’re upset that they’ve written their cars off and they were distressed. One woman who was very distressed thought that her car was going to be taken into the river.
“They aren’t the first to do it - I’ve had lots of people in this house over the years who have done the same. It’s an easy mistake to make, we’ve all taken a chance driving through water.”
Chairman of the community council David Moody-Jones said the flooding on Thursday has cut off St Peter’s Church, the vicarage, and residents living at Wyndham Park Way. By 3pm on Thursday the water hadn't subsided, which some locals said surprised them as in previous years the water has subsided by mid-afternoon.
“It’s certainly the worst flooding I’ve seen in the village for at least three years,” Cllr Moody-Jones said. “It’s cut off residents living at Wyndham Park Way who will just have to stay at home for the time being. I went out just now and the vicar was cut off too.
“People who live here are well aware of the challenges and they make changes to get through it, but each time it’s commuters who don’t really know the area who end up in the water. It’s not the first time it’s happened. We’re quite lucky that it’s very rare that it goes into people’s homes.
“I moved here in 1986 and it was happening back then. It’s increased over the years, but it’s a floodplain and so it will flood.
“We’re very fortunate in the village to have a lot of lovely people. Joanne at the village shop, who knows the village like the back of her hand, navigated the roads early this morning to get into the shop, open up, and ensure everyone had their deliveries, which makes a huge difference.”
Amy Moreno-Gray, who also lives in the village, added: "I walked down this morning and saw that the river was on the cusp of going. When I went back minutes later it had started coming over. I put a message on the Peterston page just to say it's going over the top and it's not passable. What I don't understand is some people drove around cars that were stuck in the water thinking they could get through when others had already got stuck."
Read next:
- Live updates as roads submerged and people urged not to drive as over 20 flood warnings in place
- Mountain road turns into waterfall as flooding hits Wales
- River Taff bursts its banks as heavy floods hit Cardiff
- The reason these floods, rain and high winds in Wales aren't a named storm like Eunice or Dennis
