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Press Release - Feb 08

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Flood Lessons Need To Be Learned
Warns Wilbourn Associates

Wilbourn Associates who were hit by the summer's floods is warning that a repeat of the devastation is likely to recur if swift action isn't taken locally to counteract the effects of climate change.

Philip Wilbourn, was trapped overnight in his premises off Brightside Lane after three feet of water gushed through the doors on Monday, June 25. Several other businesses at the Jessops Riverside office development suffered the same fate but Mr Wilbourn believes the severity of the flooding could have been avoided.

"The River Don is right next to us and we'd been checking the water levels all morning. At one point it rose about eight inches in half an hour. It was very fast flowing and full of debris. We saw fridges, bins and trees float past and knew we were in trouble. All the flood alerts said we were safe but it was clear that wasn't the case," he commented. "Some staff left at lunch-time and we dismantled our computer server file but couldn't do anything else when the water started to seep in."

Left without electricity, landline telephones and very little food, Mr Wilbourn and six colleagues could do little else but watch the chaos unfold outside. "Abandoned cars were just floating along the street, a retaining wall eventually collapsed and a pregnant woman was rescued by a helicopter from one of the buildings nearby. Several vehicles in our car park were written off after filling with mud and water and there was just devastation everywhere," he said.

The ground floor of Wilbourn Associates' two-storey offices has since needed a complete refurbishment at an estimated cost of £100,000. "The flooring and plasterboard were sodden and everything had to be replaced," explained Mr Wilbourn. "As soon as the water receded we got straight on with tackling the damage. We managed to get some dehumidifiers and a skip almost immediately and were fully operational again by Wednesday morning. It was a very grim experience and my main concern now is that it could happen again at any time if action isn't taken by the authorities to guard against it."

Mr Wilbourn firmly believes that neglect of the river bed was to blame for the extent of the flooding. "Obviously the rainfall was exceptional but the river was full of rubbish such as scrap and tyres which is what caused it to overflow," he said. "Nothing appears to have been done about it since and it seems that the Environment Agency, the owners of the East River Bank and the City Council can't decide where the responsibility lies. Climate change is obviously a big problem but this situation is just waiting to happen again and probably sooner rather than later," he warned.



For further information about this press release please contact Philip Wilbourn at Wilbourn Associates on 0114 243 5500 / 07973 797011.



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