'Deep loss' of Cornish villagers

Bishop Ind said the flood caused 'corporate bereavement'

Residents of Boscastle are still "feeling a deep sense of loss" after a destructive flood swept through their Cornish village last week.

A church service was held on Sunday to give thanks for the "local miracle" that no-one was killed or seriously injured by the sudden wall of water.

Monday's flood occurred when two rivers above the historic village burst their banks during a torrential downpour.

The Bishop of Truro said there was now a kind of "corporate bereavement".

As rain fell outside the Church of England St Symphorian Church, the bishop, Right Reverend Bill Ind, told the congregation that they were in the "thoughts and prayers of every parish in the diocese as well as many beyond."

He had received letters, e-mails and phone calls offering help and money continued to pour into his office and North Cornwall District Council.

Britain endures more downpours

"Boscastle is experiencing a kind of corporate bereavement," he said in the hilltop church which escaped the flooding.

"Landmarks have been swept away and people have felt, and are still feeling, a deep sense of loss.

"What was familiar has become strange and inevitably there is a feeling that things will never be the same again.

"In a sense life has been taken over, not just by the extraordinary storms of last Monday but by all that's happened since."

At the height of the flood, more than 100 people had to be airlifted from rooftops, trees and on cars where they had clambered to safety.

Praise

Bishop Ind praised the rescue operation, involving the emergency services, the coastguard and armed services.

He said "no words can praise enough" the emergency services as they continued to help with the massive clean-up operation, including the Salvation Army with their "marvellous bacon butties".

In the village's Methodist chapel, Reverend Arthur Sowden, said: "We are so grateful that there was no loss of life in this disaster or seriously injured."

Precautions

His church had received around £2,000 from well-wishers, which would be distributed by members to those in need.

He too had been "inundated" with letters and phone calls from people wishing villagers well and sending donations.

The disaster came after 75mm of rain - the average for the entire month of August - fell in two hours.

Some buildings were demolished, others severely damaged, and about 50 cars swept into the harbour while trees, silt and debris were dumped along the streets.

As a band of heavy rain moved across the South West late on Sunday, North Cornwall Council chief executive David Brown said the clean-up was progressing very well and he was not concerned about further rain as precautions had been taken to prevent further damage.

"The major improvement over the last 24 hours is that we have managed to restore the integrity of the sewer - there were serious breaches in that which was causing contamination and real difficulty."

Electricity and water had almost been restored to the village, he added.

"All the buildings have been inspected and those that have had to come down have come down and have been cleared, while others will be boarded up for security."