'I’m worried it will happen again': Family left homeless after home flooded in Wembdon

A family has been living in Airbnbs since early December after a flood left them unable to stay in their home.

Charis Ware and her family had to leave their property on 4 December after heavy rain led to the brook on the other side of their boundary bursting its banks and flooding their garden and house.

Because the flood water went through a septic tank and brought waste into the house they will not be able to stay there until essential repairs and maintenance take place.

The issue has been further complicated as neither Charis or local authorities and agencies have been able to establish who owns or is responsible for the brook.

Charis says they have been left heartbroken by what has happened: "The only way I can compare it, I suppose, is somebody coming into your house when you haven’t been here and completely destroying it and just left you with the aftermath."

She also says that with climate change causing more extreme weather events, including more winter rain, there is every chance this will happen again.

She said: "I’m scared. I know that nobody can tell me it’s not going to happen again, we can’t control mother nature, but I do feel with a lot of local building of new properties going up and brooks like we’ve got next to our property, there’s just a lack of maintenance. So, yeah, I’m really worried that it will happen again."

ITV News asked the Environment Agency about the issue. A spokesperson said: “Generally, we are responsible for the maintenance of main rivers only, not small brooks or streams.

"Responsibility for this brook could lie with an internal drainage board, a local authority or a private company or individual.

"If the organisation or individual responsible can be identified, we would be happy to offer advice on any flood prevention measures that might be an option here.”

Charis and her family are currently having their property valued by insurers and are unable to start any work until they have been paid by them.

They are aware it will impact their premium in the future and plan to install their own flood defences to try to prevent the house being impacted again.