Peninsula flood creates 'islands'

Residents near Riverside have been given flood gates

Flooding makes parts of the Lleyn peninsula in north Wales feel like individual islands, say people there.

The village of Penrhos and Riverside near Pwllhelli are frequently cut off by flood water.

People living there have described the situation as "critical" and have called for improvements to be made to prevent further flooding.

The Environment Agency said as much work as possible, given the money available, had been carried out.

Gwynedd councillor Penri Jones said flooding of the A499 at Penrhos village and near Riverside at Pwllheli was leading to misery for people living there.

"This is the main artery in the Lleyn and it is frequently closed," said Mr Jones.

"In addition the floods prevent people travelling to work, and prevents emergency services getting through."

I'm scared something will happen when I'm not there Sharon Jones, householder

Improvement works on another nearby road had been spoilt, he added, because large lorries which had been redirected there, had churned up the grass verges turning them into "a sea of mud".

"I accept that there is such a thing as global warming, and the county council has not received enough funding but the situation is critical and something needs to be done," he added.

Residents have said that when the area is flooded they face diversions along unsuitable narrow country lanes which lead to long journey times or are forced to stay at home.

"It usually happens on around two days every year," said the Reverend Meirion Lloyd Davies, who has lived at Penrhos for 12 years.

"We have to use another route which is only a few miles longer but is along incredibly narrow lanes where you have to reverse back if anyone comes towards you."

The road near Penrhos is regularly flooded

Sharon Jones, had to be rescued by boat from her home in Riverside, with her two children now aged eight and five, when 10 inches (25cm) of water rushed into her house in 2006.

The family, along with the five adjoining properties, have since been given flood gates by the Environment Agency to block all entrances to help prevent further flooding.

"Thursday last week was particularly bad here," she said.

We have done as much as we can, with the money available, to protect as many people as we can Environment Agency spokesman

"We woke up and the water was already high (in the river) so it was very difficult to put the gates in place.

"I've left them in now though, and just climb over them when I need to get out of the house, because I'm scared something will happen when I'm not there."

She said that when the water levels rose, she was often forced to pick her children up from school early or they would be stranded from home.

An Environment Agency spokesman said two nearby streams sometimes overflowed into each other causing problems in Riverside.

"We are hoping the flood gates given to individual properties will provide as much protection as possible," he said.

At Penrhos there was a similar situation, he added.

"We have done as much as we can, with the money available, to protect as many people as we can."