Homes are flooded

2:57pm Friday 16th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Homes in Braintree were flooded today when water mains burst.

Families living at the end of Malyon Close, at the back of the St Michael's Hospital site, in Rayne Road, awoke to water in their downstairs rooms.

Tara Gibb, 39, who lives in the close with her husband Richard and their two children, said five houses had been flooded when two major water mains burst at 3am.

She said the first she knew of it was at 5.45am when she heard people outside and then shortly after someone dealing with the incident banged on the door and it was a "mad rush" to get everything upstairs.

She said the situation was "difficult" for them as she had no family locally and her father-in-law's house was small.

"I'm in shock a bit at the moment," she said. "A hotel is just not practical with two children, washing, making sure everything is ready for school and working will be really difficult."

Abbey Rogers, 48, who lives next door with her three children, said: "The whole place is just a mess. We have to move as there's no way you can sleep here tonight."