K’boro home destroyed by the floods
Flood victim Geoff Newbould. Adrian Murray (12100211AM)
A Knaresborough resident has been told that his home may be condemned after last week’s floods.
Geoff Newbould of Archers Meadow, has been informed by his insurance company that his property maybe uninhabitable after four inches of water flooded into his home.
He said: “My wife has had enough. We’ve flooded four or five times in the six years we’ve lived here, enough is enough.”
Mr Newbould, his wife Joy and his 97-year-old mother-in-law Doreen Appleby were evacuated on Tuesday.
He said: “I was checking the Environment Agency website but it wasn’t updating fast enough, I was looking out of the window watching the water rising.”
Steve Kirman from the Environment Agency said: “Once the river level reaches a certain height we take measurements and publish them every hour.”
Mr Newbould is now to become a voluntary flood warden after being asked by the Environment Agency.
But Mr Newbould is unhappy with Harrogate Borough Council’s response, he said: “After the flooding in 2009, someone from the council came to visit us and see if we were okay, this time no one has been round and it has been a week. It seems like they don’t care.”
Harrogate Borough Council defended their response. Assistant Chief Executive Rachel Bowles said: “Harrogate Borough Council worked alongside our partners and emergency services to ensure that our residents were supported throughout and in the aftermath of the floods. All teams worked to ensure that those evacuated were appropriately placed and that support was provided.”
She added: “With regard to the householder in question it is understood that there are insurance policies in place that provide cover for emergencies.”
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Weather for Harrogate
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
