Row over 'blocked culvert' as campers lose caravans to flash floods in Sunderland

Kris Jepson speaks to local residents and campsite users who say they have been warning about the flood risk for two years.

Flash flooding overnight at a campsite in Sunderland left 29 families needing help to pull their caravans out of the water.

The flood, which deluged two large fields near the North Sea coast, was caused by a "blocked culvert", according to Sunderland City Council.

However, residents told ITV News Tyne Tees they have been warning about flooding hitting the campsite for two years, claiming the culvert pipe, which carries water from a waterway into the sea, is "too narrow".

Several residents said they had complained to the council about the issue. One of the residents, Tony Brew, told ITV News: "We've sent a number of emails to the council. I think the capacity of the pipe, it’s only a narrow bore pipe, and it just hasn’t got the flow rate to get rid of the water, so it’s an ongoing issue.

"We just need something done. Dredge it out, put a big bore pipe in so it can take the amount of water that we're having because you can’t just continue like this every year."

Nigel Chambers' wife and son were staying in his caravan overnight when they called him to come and help them get it out of the water. He called his insurers on Thursday morning and received bad news.

He said: "It's been written off. Any water ingress it’s straight away, written off. So I went in and I moved everything from under the seats to on top of the seats. Came out of the car. Helped pack the car with one thing and another and then I realised when I went back it was touching the line.

"Even though it wasn’t raining, it was still rising, so yeah, we had to quickly move it before it got too bad, but too late really."

The site officer, Nicola Curry of Durham District Association of The Camping and Caravanning Club, said she felt for the holidaymakers who had lost belongings and their caravans.

She said: "They were outside up to their waist, trying to pick their belongings up and, obviously move everything, but the caravans were actually underwater. People have actually lost caravans, motorhomes, cars, my heart bleeds for them really."

Sunderland City Council told ITV News it was made aware of a complaint about the culvert that was reported on 9 April 2024. A blockage was found on the inlet grill and cleared the following day. The council said it is not aware of any other complaints.

A spokesperson added: "Officers from the City Council’s flooding and coastal team were made aware of rising water levels and flooding at Seaburn Camp at 3am today (Thursday 30 May).

"Caravanners and campers were already leaving the site and have been advised not to return to until further notice. The flooding is because of a blocked culvert. Council officers remain at the site assisting campers and a large capacity pump is reducing water levels away from the blockage.

"As water from overnight and today’s rain continues to enter the culvert, work to reduce the water level and clear the blockage continues. The council has an inspection programme that monitors the city’s culverted watercourse.

"Nothing like this has ever happened before at this location and the culvert ditch and headwall had been cleared in April."

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service crews attended the campsite to assess the situation and reassure residents that there was no risk to life. The service said the water was 30 centimetres in depth.

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