A POOLE woman who cares for her disabled husband is “desperate” following extensive flooding to her family home.

Jacqui Bates of Bushell Road in Fleetsbridge was left stranded upstairs in her home for hours after a “tidal wave” of flooding engulfed her ground floor on Monday, leaving her and her husband without food, water and heating.

Jacqui, who herself suffers from epilepsy, told the Daily Echo: “We had heavy rain overnight of course, then in the morning I noticed that the water was coming over our front step. Quickly after, we heard a gurgling noise and the water burst into the hallway and lounge like a tidal wave.

“Within minutes we had more than a foot of water pouring in. I turned the electrics off and headed upstairs.

She added: “My garden is gone, furniture and carpets ruined, plug sockets were submerged and our car was flooded up to the seats. I’m just worried about my husband, we can’t keep warm, and we can’t cook anything. I don’t know who to call or what to do.”

Bournemouth Echo: Flooded home on Bushell Road

Jacqui’s daughter, Sarah Welch, said: “When I heard my mum was in trouble, I immediately tried to get to them.

“My mum and stepdad are both vulnerable adults with their share of injuries and disabilities. When I found them yesterday, both of them required emergency medicine as theirs had been contaminated by flood water.

“My husband and I spent five hours sweeping water from their home and securing sandbags to create flood barriers to combat the thigh level water. However, at this point the damage has been done. Their possessions are ruined. Their lifetime of collected memories are ruined.”

The flooding caused widespread chaos across Dorset on Monday, with multiple road closures and stranded cars prevalent throughout the day.

Fleetsbridge was especially impacted, with sections of the main roundabout blocked off due to water levels which left two cars stuck.

Jacqui moved into her home in 2004 and says that she has experienced “five or six” floods since then, however, it has “never been this bad”.

Contact was made with BCP Council and Wessex Water, who both recommended Jacqui get in touch with the other body. Sarah said: “When we spoke to Wessex, they said it wasn’t their problem it was BCP Council’s, and the council said the same regarding Wessex, so we feel very abandoned right now.”

Jacqui said that despite being listed as a high priority resident by Wessex Water in the past, they failed to recognise this on Monday. She said: “My husband is disabled with arthritis and diabetes, I have epilepsy, they know all of this, but they said they hadn’t got a record of it, even though they came right away last time we had flooding. That was a step too far for me.”

An elderly neighbour of Jacqui’s also suffered extensive flooding and she was helped out of her property by Sarah and her husband, who saw the neighbour’s fridge floating around the kitchen.

Sarah has since set up a gofundme page for her mum to raise funds to aid repair costs. Friends, family and strangers have donated more than £300 of the £500 target in under 24 hours.

Upon being informed of the running total by the Echo, Jacqui said: “Oh my god, I’m speechless, wow. All I can say now is that I’m eternally grateful.

“I guess that means that we can afford to ask an electrician to come round. Wow, people are just kind, after the year we’ve all had and people still just help. Oh wow, it’s amazing.”

The fundraiser can be found at, https://gofund.me/241d98a8

A Wessex Water spokesperson said that the council/highways authority are responsible for highway drainage.

They said: "The flooding was caused by surface water run-off following the heavy downpours. This resulted in highway flooding, which the council have been dealing with.

"Flooding on this scale is extremely distressing for those affected. Throughout yesterday and today we have been visiting any properties where there have been any sewerage issues."

A BCP Council spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry to hear that residents’ homes have been flooded as a result of yesterday’s severe storm event. The Fleetsbridge area of Poole has flooded in the past and we’re advising any resident whose home has suffered as a result, to get in contact with their insurance company in the first instance so they can be re-housed if their property is uninhabitable.

“Council staff will be in contact with Ms Bates so we can get as much detail as possible regarding the flooding to her property. We’ll also be offering advice as to how residents can make their properties more resilient.

“We are currently gathering data from across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and will be contacting all affected residents."