Storm Babet: Son speaks of moment he found his mum dead in flooded Chesterfield home

Maureen Gilbert, flooding victim
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service and police officers arrived at the flat and found a woman, aged in her 80s, inside. Credit: ITV News

The son of a woman found dead in her flooded home says he is angry and upset.

The body of Maureen Gilbert, 83, was discovered in flood water in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on Saturday morning.

Her son, Paul Gilbert, who attempted to protect his mother’s home with flood defences, told Sky News he found her "floating in the water".

He said: "I thought I had done enough with the flood defences, which are nearly four foot high, that she would be all right.

"I did not want to find my own mum and I expected somebody else to have found her.

"I go through so many different stages - anger, upset, I don’t know. I can’t put it into words what it means at the moment."

Mrs Gilbert’s neighbours said 5ft of water had engulfed the inside of their properties "within minutes" of the River Rother bursting its banks.

Police were called along with firefighters and parademics to Tapton Terrace shortly after 10.35am on Saturday.

Tapton Terrace in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, where Maureen Gilbert, 83, was found dead on Saturday Credit: Matthew Cooper/PA

In a statement Derbyshire Police said: "The woman was found in a flooded property. Investigations are continuing into the cause and circumstances surrounding her death."

A major incident was declared in Chesterfield on Friday. Rest centres were set up for residents to take shelter.

Officers say the investigation into Mrs Gilbert's death is ongoing.

She was among at least four people who died during the extreme weather caused by Storm Babet.

Hundreds more were left homeless as the Environment Agency (EA) warned there could be more flooding this week.

Around 1,250 properties in England have been flooded, while an estimated 30,000 properties have needed protection against rising water levels, the EA said.

The agency said more flood warnings are expected for some of the worst affected areas this week although severe flood warnings, meaning risk of death or serious injury, have been lifted.


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