Greater Anglia train lines closed after Storm Babet hits Suffolk

  • ITV News Anglia's Andy Ward report on Friday night on the destruction left by Storm Babet

The clean-up is beginning after Suffolk homes were hit by flooding from Storm Babet.

A deluge fell across the region with areas including Framlingham, Debenham, Wickham Market and Stradbroke area severely affected.

A major incident was declared in the county on Friday, 20 October, as persistent rain and high winds caused flooding and major disruption across the East of England.

Greater Anglia is warning people not travel on certain trains because of the flooding on the line from Storm Babet.

The rail company said routes between Ipswich and Norwich, Norwich and Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds were not running.

Flooded homes in Framlingham during Storm Babet Credit: Michael Salmon / Twitter

Greater Anglia said: "We ask customers not to travel on these routes. At present, there are no timescales for re-opening. Tickets dated for Friday 20 and Saturday 21 October will be accepted tomorrow / ticket restrictions for today have been lifted.

"These closures are in place in order to keep customers and staff safe on the railway.

"No rail replacement transport available due to flooding.

"Unfortunately the road network is also flooded in places and we have not been able to source any rail replacement buses."

Simon O’Brien used his homemade boat, which he built for his grandchildren, to rescue residents from their home in Debenham, Suffolk. Credit: PA

School children and teachers from several schools were also unable to get home for several hours, and people's cars were trapped in rising flood water.

Rescue centres were also set up including at Castle Community Rooms in Church Street, Framlingham, after the Mere burst its banks on Friday, and Debenham Leisure Centre after the village became impassable.

Steve Spurling, chairman of Debenham Leisure Centre, said people had left the safe hub the morning after the flooding but at its peak it had about 220 people in the leisure centre.

This included people displaced from their flooded homes or trapped in cars in the surrounding roads.

He added that six farmers transported people home in their tractors and a 4x4 rescue service moved 170 students and staff from the neighbouring Debenham High School to their homes between 6pm and 10pm.

Around 60 people stayed overnight in the leisure centre and Mr Spurling praised the local support after people in the village rallied round to bring blankets and sleeping bags.

He added: "Families were displaced from their homes. Around 30 homes flooded in the lower end of Debenham. People are saying the last time it flooded here was in 1993 and it wasn't as bad [then] as it was last night."

He did not know how long the clean up would take but said cars were travelling through the village in the morning.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know