Cowbridge golf academy flooded months after being hit by lightning 'needs a bit of luck'

A golf academy which was flooded during Thursday's torrential rain was only just recovering from being struck by lightning in November.

Hensol Golf Academy in Cowbridge was still without a telephone line and had only recently been reconnected to the internet when it faced a deluge on January 12.

A fortnight's worth of rain fell in just 24 hours, causing widespread flash flooding across Wales.

Aled Griffiths, who runs the small family business alongside his best friend Will, said the latest unfortunate development had made an already difficult situation worse. He described it as "another nail in the coffin", even if the academy does not face the immediate threat of closure.

He added that "it's just compiled" what has already been a difficult situation to manage over the last few months.

Without a phone line or internet connection following November's lightning strike, many people had assumed the business was shut.

Talking about the impact of the lightning strike, Aled said: "For a small family business that’s massive for us”.

However, despite the latest setback the academy managed to open its doors yesterday, even with a large part of the course and driving range submerged. It even got busier later in the day as more people braved the weather to play.

Aled says it is a case of "letting nature take its course" for the water, decanted from the nearby Ely River, to clear up, however long it takes.

The next job is to retrieve golf balls which are currently under the water and to minimise any long-term damage caused by the flooding.

Talking about the unwelcome sight that greeted him as he came into work early yesterday morning, Aled says that in the eight or nine years since setting up the facility "I've never seen it like that".

But he remains optimistic, adding: "We will keep trying and pushing forwards. We just need a little bit of luck."