West Midlands counts cost of flooding
Families and businesses across the West Midlands and Staffordshire were today left counting the cost of flash flooding that brought chaos to the region – as the tragic victim swept to his death was named as a former South Staffordshire teacher.
Families and businesses across the West Midlands and Staffordshire were today left counting the cost of flash flooding that brought chaos to the region – as the tragic victim swept to his death was named as a former South Staffordshire teacher.
Tragic teacher Mike Ellis died, drivers were stranded, homes were left under water, schools closed and pensioners had to be rescued after the two-hour downpour.
The 66-year-old maths teacher was swept to his death while crossing a stream at Bitterley, near Ludlow. His relatives today revealed he had taught in Wombourne during his career and went on to become head of maths then deputy headteacher at Ludlow School.
In total, West Midlands fire control staff dealt with 282 incidents in just an hour and a half from 9.45am, when the deluge began.
The storm battered the region with 0.8ins of rain - a third of the amount that would normally fall in the whole month of June.
Waters swept a 60-year-old man, named locally as Maths teacher Mike Ellis, to his death while crossing a stream at Bitterley, near Ludlow.
And thousands of pounds worth of damage was done to businesses and homes across the Midlands, with the pensioners flats at The Old Manor, Woodfield Heights, among the most devastated.
There, water smashed down a boundary wall, a side door and then poured, two feet deep through a hallway into three homes.
Mary Haynes, aged 82, who is a friend of the victims, estimated that about £50,000 of damage had been done.
She said: "One 89-year-old woman has gone to stay with her son and a 72-year-old is with her daughter. The other is staying with me.
"When the water came through the hallway it was up to third third step of the stairs."
Firefighters from Wednesfield Community Fire Station found the 89 and 72-year-olds in flooding a foot deep.
Watch manager Mick GoodeCOR, who was at the scene, said the boundary wall had fallen after the road next to it filled with water.
He said: "Water and masonry went into the homes. We isolated the gas and electrics and moved them to the floor above where they had a check-up from the ambulance service"
Landscape gardener Ian Wright, of Hobnock Road, Essington, saw the ground floor of his home devastated by the rains.
Stood on his damp carpet, surrounded by damaged furniture, Mr Wright, aged 43, said last night that his insurance company were paying for him and his family to move out of their home of five years today.
He said: "I'm gutted. It's going to cost a minimum of £3,000 to repair. The kitchen has already started swelling up and the wallpaper is bubbling because its so humid."
Sue Ryder Care charity shop, at the Avion Centre, Whitmore Reans, was one of the businesses hit hard by the deluge.
Manager Margaret Jinman, aged 65, said the damage would cost about £10,000 to repair.
She said: "We had to take a van of furniture to the tip because of water damage. Some of the pieces had already been bought and were ready to be delivered.
"We were flooded out completely."
Mrs Jinman said water had poured into the shop from two places, probably because of blocked drains.
At one stage, staff were forced to use donated items of clothing to mop up.
Deputy manager Sukhi Kaur said it had damaged stock such as carry cots and children's toys.
She said: "The damage will be worth at least hundreds. Water covered the whole shop."
Water also poured into the basement of the maternity unit at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton.
Graham Argent, estates manager at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, said it had to be pumped out.
He said: "The downpour also caused water to enter the A&E department and the entrance to the Heart and Lung Centre. The Trust's housekeeping team, responded magnificently to help with mopping-up and no patient services were affected."
Schools that will remain closed today because of yesterday's severe weather include Wolverhampton's Aldersley High School, The Braybrook Centre, Oxley Primary School, Bantock Primary School, Broadmeadow Nursery, and The King's School.
A statement from the King's School said this was down to "an electrical problem".
Wednesfield firefighters were also called to help a 61-year-old man who became trapped in his car when water poured into a dip in the road in Old Hill, Tettenhall.
Mr Goode said: "It was two to three feet deep around his car. He had to be taken to a waiting ambulance where he was treated for shock."
A team of 20 firefighters rescued Wombourne pensioner, Desmond Weston, near Swancote, after his Vauxhall car became stuck with water almost up to the dashboard.
He was pulled from his car and carried to safety by two firefighters who had to wade through water almost three feet deep.
War veteran Mr Weston, who was on his way to Bridgnorth, said: "It was a real shock but I am all right."
The deluge caused travel chaos, with two Thomson flights due to land at Birmingham Airport, one arriving from Faro, Portugal and one from Palma, Majorca, were both diverted to East Midlands Airport because of the bad weather.
And events were cancelled across the region, with strolls as part of South Staffordshire's walking festival cancelled.
About 300 school children were left disappointed when their mini-Olympics event was cancelled in Smethwick.
Seven schools from Sandwell borough including St Philip's Catholic Primary and Shireland Collegiate Academy had organised the event.
One of the organisers, Leighton Padotan, of St Philip's said: "It is sad but we thought it would have unsafe for the kids to be running on the wet track through thunder and lightning.
Elsewhere West Midlands residents defied the elements.
The Bilston in Bloom committee managed to show competition judges round during a break in the torrential rain yesterday.
Defiant town centre manager Cheryl Walsh said: ""This is what we do in Bilston, we carry on.
"LSD Promotions who supply the stands for themed markets had set up the gazebo stalls in the centre of town and people could shelter there."
Rugeley and Penkridge saw the worst of yesterday's downfall with many shops hit by power loss and some seeing partial roof collapses, while the deluge blocked a number of roads. Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service was bombarded with more than 170 flood-related emergency calls.
More than 1ins of rain fell in three hours yesterday – almost half of the total rainfall expected for June.
Staff battled to keep water out of their stores in Rugeley as the rain fell just after 10am, turning the high street into a fast-flowing river. Around a quarter of the shops in Upper Brook Street and Lower Brook Street were forced to close while the Argos store in Pointland Park, Wellington Drive, also shut when part of the roof collapsed.
In Hednesford, the heavy rain meant around 850 students at Kingsmead Technology College in Kings Avenue were sent home early.
Spring Slade Lodge, Camp Road, also fell victim to the floods and the race is now on to clean up the tea room in time for a children's party tomorrow.
In Aldridge, Brickyard Road was covered in up to 4ft of water, with cars getting stuck or having to turn back.
A BMW was trapped in Middlemore Lane and had to be pulled out by another vehicle, while a car became stuck in water along Chester Road with police alerted at around 11.15am and drivers unable to get through.
