Flooded since December: Shropshire residents demand action
Householders have demanded action to prevent their houses from being swamped by flood water as the wet winter continues.
Residents living alongside the Shropshire Union Canal say water is seeping into their gardens and threatening their homes.
On the Llangollen stretch of the canal at Whixall, near Whitchurch, residents have been forced to take to DIY flood defences in an attempt to keep the water at bay.
A group attended a recent meeting of Whixall Parish Council to voice their concerns as the forecast continues to show rain, sleet and snow showers for the next week.
They included Rob Cadman, who lives on Moss Lane in the village. He said: "We are very concerned. Our garden has been completely flooded since the start of December.
"We have raised our summer house at the bottom of the garden by 12 inches on bricks to try and save it from being flooded.
"We are just days away of having to vacate our property due to the rapid rising water level entering our electric supply to our bio-disc septic tank."
Residents have taken to the Whixall Community Page on Facebook to voice their worries.
Eva-Maria Broomer posted: "Some properties already had to be vacated. A real concern is what happens if the leaks get worse and the canal breaks its banks.
"I doubt the damage will be restricted to only our few properties in that case.
"We are very worried, not just for our property, but also for the wider area."
Dave Birch, a Whixall resident, said: "I have lived in Whixall for 15 years and this is the worst flooding I have seen."
Ian Mercer, chairman of Whixall Parish Council, said:
"The area has had flooding issues for a while now and with the recent heavy rain putting pressure on the canal and it is leaking."
Lynn Pegler, from the Canal and River Trust, said: "We sympathise with Mr Cadman's situation and that of the other residents on Moss Lane. We have discussed the concerns that Mr Cadman has raised with him by telephone and in writing, and have met him at his property, jointly visiting the areas of concern.
"We have been monitoring leakage from the embankment in this area and regularly inspect these areas to ensure the safety and integrity of the canal.
"We can reassure residents and visitors to this area that the leakage in this case is minor and has a negligible influence on the seasonal flooding levels in this area of wetland."
