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Village flooding 'probably worst it's ever been'

Matt WeigoldDerby
BBC A man in a blue polo shirt and dark glasses is standing in a flooded domestic garden. Bushes, plants, a garage, greenhouse and washing pole is partially submerged. There is a wood panelled fence around the garden. Trees stand behind the fence in a field which is also flooded.BBC
Bill Powell said he was convinced flood barriers installed in nearby Derby were why his Barrow upon Trent garden regularly resembled "a lake"

People who have lived in a Derbyshire village for decades say flooding in recent years is "probably the worst it's ever been".

Residents of Barrow upon Trent said floods had become significantly deeper, more frequent and had taken longer to retreat in the last few years, with water encroaching into their homes, streets, gardens and fields.

Resident Bill Powell said his garden regularly resembled "a lake" and that the recent flood was at its peak on Sunday.

The Environment Agency (EA) said climate change had led to more intense and prolonged rainfall, and that it was working on long‑term measures to better protect communities and properties from the flooding that results.

An old stone church stands on a grassy graveyard with a stone wall dropping down to the corner of a road. The road is completely flooded in brown water. The hedgerows alongside the other side of the road poke out of the water, which continues into the fields behind. The sky is cloudy.
A grassy graveyard with a stone wall dropping down to the corner of a road. The road is completely flooded in brown water. The hedgerows alongside the other side of the road, a road sign and a road bollard poke out of the water. Trees and fields are in the background which are also flooded.
Church Lane was completely unpassable for the handful of homes further down the road
The water on the road reached chest height at its peak on Sunday 8 February

Powell said flood water covered the field between his Brookfield home and Swarkstone Road, and had seeped into neighbouring gardens.

The former JCB worker described last year's flooding as "probably the worst it's ever been" in the 20 years he has lived in Barrow upon Trent.

He said those water levels had risen dangerously close to the wall cavity vents on the outside of his dining room.

"It is really annoying and it makes you angry," Powell said.

Deborah Maddock has lived in the village since 1981 and agrees with Powell that the problem has worsened in the last few years.

Her home backs on to Church Lane, where the chest-height water made the road completely unpassable for a handful of homes.

"It may be global warming, but it's just too extreme for that," she said.

A woman stands in her gravelled garden. At the end of her garden there is has a wall which drops down to the road. That road is completely flooded with brown water, as are the fields on the other side of the road. Hedgerows, a gate and trees are partially underwater. The woman has short blonde hair, glasses, a blue body warmer and long-sleeved grey top. There are plants in pots and a chair in her garden. Next-door's garden is separated by a grey stone wall.
Deborah Maddock is grateful that the wall at the bottom of her garden kept the chest-high water on Church Lane at bay

The EA said: "Climate change is leading to more intense and prolonged rainfall and we are focused on delivering long-term solutions to help protect people and property from the devastating effects of the flooding it causes.

"Barrow upon Trent will be considered as part of this ongoing process, and we are happy to continue discussions with the community."

Barrow upon Trent Parish Council said flooding had occurred in the village for centuries, but recognised the concerns raised.

"It is true that flood water appears to come up more quickly, and retreat more slowly in more recent years," the council added.

"This is probably because of flood-defence works further downstream from Barrow."

"We just need flood prevention measures downstream from the village to think about the affect they are having on us and other villages."

The EA insisted that Our City Our River (OCOR) scheme, downstream of Barrow upon Trent, has not had any impact on flooding in the village.

Charlotte Hill, cabinet member for potholes, highways and transport at Derbyshire Council, has said the authority plans to set up a meeting in the village in the next couple of weeks, along with Severn Trent and EA partners, to discuss residents' concerns.

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