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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Flooding victims not going home for Christmas | Flooding victims not going home for Christmas |
| (1 day later) | |
| Sid Traynor outside his house in Bulwer Street, Bootle, which was hit by flooding after a sewage system failed | Sid Traynor outside his house in Bulwer Street, Bootle, which was hit by flooding after a sewage system failed |
| People who had to move out of their street due to flooding are facing a Christmas away from their homes. | People who had to move out of their street due to flooding are facing a Christmas away from their homes. |
| The residents of Bulwer Street in Bootle, Merseyside, were forced out on 30 September when water gushed into their homes after a period of heavy rain led to a sewage system failure. | The residents of Bulwer Street in Bootle, Merseyside, were forced out on 30 September when water gushed into their homes after a period of heavy rain led to a sewage system failure. |
| United Utilities said it was "incredibly sorry" that residents would not be home for Christmas Day but it was "positive" they would be able to return by April. | United Utilities said it was "incredibly sorry" that residents would not be home for Christmas Day but it was "positive" they would be able to return by April. |
| Bulwer Street resident Sid Traynor, 80, told BBC Radio Merseyside: "People are very upset over it, they've lost everything." | Bulwer Street resident Sid Traynor, 80, told BBC Radio Merseyside: "People are very upset over it, they've lost everything." |
| Homes evacuated as flooding hits region | Homes evacuated as flooding hits region |
| Recalling the day of the flood, Mr Traynor, who is currently living in a hotel, said he had been at home doing a crossword when he walked into his conservatory only to see water coming in. | Recalling the day of the flood, Mr Traynor, who is currently living in a hotel, said he had been at home doing a crossword when he walked into his conservatory only to see water coming in. |
| "I thought I better get my mop bucket," he said. | "I thought I better get my mop bucket," he said. |
| "Then, when I looked out I couldn't see any grass. | "Then, when I looked out I couldn't see any grass. |
| "The next thing I'd seen was a wave coming over, and that was it - like that – I couldn't get in and save anything." | "The next thing I'd seen was a wave coming over, and that was it - like that – I couldn't get in and save anything." |
| Sid Traynor's home needs extensive repairs | Sid Traynor's home needs extensive repairs |
| Mr Traynor's home is undergoing extensive work including re-plastering, while his £14,000 juke box is also being repaired. | Mr Traynor's home is undergoing extensive work including re-plastering, while his £14,000 juke box is also being repaired. |
| Outside the road is lined with vans and skips as workers repair neighbouring properties, many of which have dehumidifier hoses emerging from their letter boxes. | Outside the road is lined with vans and skips as workers repair neighbouring properties, many of which have dehumidifier hoses emerging from their letter boxes. |
| For Mr Traynor and his neighbours, this is all too familiar. | For Mr Traynor and his neighbours, this is all too familiar. |
| Homes were previously flooded in 2013, leaving some residents unable to return for six months. | Homes were previously flooded in 2013, leaving some residents unable to return for six months. |
| "It wasn't as bad last time," Mr Traynor said. | "It wasn't as bad last time," Mr Traynor said. |
| "We keep asking the same question – is this going to happen again? Obviously, [United Utilities] can't say it won't happen again. | "We keep asking the same question – is this going to happen again? Obviously, [United Utilities] can't say it won't happen again. |
| "What they're saying is they've done a few things, but we don't know. | "What they're saying is they've done a few things, but we don't know. |
| "Do I think it will happen again? Yeah, I personally do but I'm 80 now and I'm too old to start looking round for another house now." | "Do I think it will happen again? Yeah, I personally do but I'm 80 now and I'm too old to start looking round for another house now." |
| United Utilities says it can not guarantee flooding will not happen again but "additional resilience" has been put in the system | |
| United Utilities said the cause of the flooding was "rare and exceptional". | United Utilities said the cause of the flooding was "rare and exceptional". |
| Chris Matthews, head of regional engagement, said it was down to a "software fault", resulting in a failure to pump the rain water into the nearby River Mersey. | Chris Matthews, head of regional engagement, said it was down to a "software fault", resulting in a failure to pump the rain water into the nearby River Mersey. |
| "We've fixed the software problem," he said. | "We've fixed the software problem," he said. |
| "We've also got a manual system in place as well that offers some reassurance." | "We've also got a manual system in place as well that offers some reassurance." |
| On the matter of yet another repeat, Mr Matthews said: "I wouldn't sit here and say that we could guarantee it will never, ever flood because we cannot control the rain. | On the matter of yet another repeat, Mr Matthews said: "I wouldn't sit here and say that we could guarantee it will never, ever flood because we cannot control the rain. |
| "What I would say on the reassurance that we can give is that we have addressed the issues that happened in the past and we're putting additional resilience into the system". | "What I would say on the reassurance that we can give is that we have addressed the issues that happened in the past and we're putting additional resilience into the system". |
| 'All gone' | 'All gone' |
| United Utilities said it was "positive" residents would be back in their homes before April. | United Utilities said it was "positive" residents would be back in their homes before April. |
| Sally Ainsworth, head of customer services, said the company was "incredibly sorry" that people were not back in their homes for Christmas. | Sally Ainsworth, head of customer services, said the company was "incredibly sorry" that people were not back in their homes for Christmas. |
| The company said it was arranging days out, meals and hampers over the Christmas period for displaced residents. | The company said it was arranging days out, meals and hampers over the Christmas period for displaced residents. |
| For Mr Traynor he still wants to be back in his home comforts. | For Mr Traynor he still wants to be back in his home comforts. |
| "It's not the same [being in a hotel], you want to be home for Christmas," he said. | "It's not the same [being in a hotel], you want to be home for Christmas," he said. |
| "People are very upset over it, they've lost everything. | "People are very upset over it, they've lost everything. |
| "There's things there that you'll never get back – I know people who've lost photographs, weddings, all sorts. | "There's things there that you'll never get back – I know people who've lost photographs, weddings, all sorts. |
| "Things that the parents had and the parents have passed away. | "Things that the parents had and the parents have passed away. |
| "Its all gone." | "Its all gone." |
| Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, external, X, external, and Instagram, external. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, external | Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, external, X, external, and Instagram, external. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, external |