Our area was flooded

Pictures and story curtesy of Hastings Observer online

(I live just around the corner and luckily on a hill!)

Date: 07 July 2009 By Richard Morris

After weeks of scorching sun the heavens finally opened this morning - flooding parts of Hastings and leaving cars in St Leonards submerged in pools of water. Storms hit 1066 Country at just after 1am this morning and have not let up since. Blackman Avenue was one of a host of roads closed off by the time locals left for work, with fire crews battling to clear water which had flooded at the end near Battle Road. In fact, as our exclusive pictures show, parts of Hollington were left as much as five foot underwater, with cars wrecked, gardens ruined, homes flooded and bins bobbing on the water. Elsewhere, parents were told St Paul's School had been forced to close after it was a struck by lightning, causing the electrics to short circuit. And, students on their way to Filsham Valley School were diverted across the South Saxons Wetlands in order to get to lessons because of severe flooding which left the entire school field under water. Emergency services said they were inundated with calls. Mark O'Brien, of the local fire service, said: "We were called out two hours ago because of flooding in Blackman Avenue and Hollington Old Lane. "We have received a number of calls about flooding across town with properties and road affected. "In Hollington Old Lane there has been severe flooding due to the rainfall last night. A number of residents are staying in their properties and are cut off by flood water. "They are in no immediate danger and are being asked to go to the upper part of their homes where it is safe. "Water has not entered the houses and we are working hard to make sure it does not. "There is forecast to be further rain today." He said nine homes in Hollington Old Lane had been affected and two in Blackman Avenue, adding: "The flood water is running towards Stonehouse Drive where around 20 properties have been affected." He said the area had flooded because a storm drain had not been able to cope with the high level of rainfall, adding: "We have got emergency equipment and teams on standby to rescue residents in case the water level rises."