Residents who have “ploughed” in their life savings to live at a holiday park have been evacuated for a fourth time this year and now have “nowhere to go”.
Deep flooding has again forced people to leave the Billing Aquadrome in Northamptonshire as a danger to life warning remains in place after Storm Bert hit the county.
People could be seen wading through deep water on Monday morning to escape the flooding holding carrier bags containing their belongings.
West Northamptonshire Council said the holiday park was being evacuated with assistance from Northamptonshire Search and Rescue and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service after “significant” flooding hit the county overnight.
It added that water levels continue to rise on the River Nene at the holiday park and nearby business parks, and that the water is “deep and fast flowing”.
A rest centre is being provided at Lings Forum Leisure Centre for those displaced by the flooding, as many try to book hotels until they can go back to their homes.
It comes as hundreds of homes were left under water and winds of more than 80mph were recorded across parts of the UK.
Stan Brown, 67, has lived on the Billing Aquadrome for 25 years but says he has had “enough” and feels he has no choice but to move away after this round of flooding.
Speaking outside The Quays pub by the holiday park as he waits to be able to leave, he said: “It’s four times this year, so that’s it, I’ve just had enough. Enough is enough. I’ve lost a lot of money.
“Some people ploughed in their life savings and this happens. I’ve lost £140,000. That’s just my lodge that I own.
“Everyone’s upset because there’s no system in place to get you off the park as fast as they want. It’s rubbish, absolute rubbish.
“I’ve got somewhere else to go but I’m one of the few. Other people have spent their life savings to buy a place on there, and now they’ve got nowhere else to go.”
Residents described the sirens sounding on Sunday night, as they grabbed bags of possessions and left their homes at around 3.30am.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said the mood on Monday morning was “low” and many of her neighbours hope to move away soon.
She said: “Everyone knows when you hear the sirens you have got to go. But now some of us are still stuck here and a lot of the roads are closed. A lot are stranded here.”
A man, who also wished to stay anonymous, spoke outside the Billing convenience store while waiting for his hotel room, and said: “Why can’t they dig it out somewhere else and make another reservoir so when it does flood, it doesn’t flood here? It will fill that up rather than flood Northampton and here.
“The water’s got to go somewhere but it shouldn’t have to fill up here.”
Northamptonshire fire and police services received a high number of calls overnight from people in properties and on roads impacted by the flooding, the council said.
It added that the issues are “widespread across the county”, including in Towcester, Weedon, Lower Harlestone and the St Andrews Road area.
The councils’ highways teams have received over 160 calls so far reporting flooding and fallen trees.
