A couple have shared how they have become trapped inside their own home by sudden flood waters and revealed it’s a regular occurrence.
Joanne Cooke, said her family have ‘lost three cars’ over the years from overflowing water.
The 54-year-old shared pictures and video footage of the latest scene outside her home as Storm Franklin bombarded the area with heavy rain and fierce winds on Sunday.
Joanne, who lives with her husband in a detached cottage, says the stream near her house often bursts.
She said they are worried the foundations of their home will be damaged if the situation continues.
Water gathers suddenly in front of the house - leaving them stranded inside unable to get out, report Manchester Evening News.
The couple stay off Gambrel Bank Road in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, near Timperley Clough, in a small home.
Joanne said the Environment Agency installed a culvert there several years ago - but said it doesn’t work properly.
The opposite end of the drain, she said, is maintained by the council.
Joanne said they have even inquired about setting up some kind of alarm system to alert them.
“We would just like someone to contact us and advise on what we can do about the situation we are in,” she said.
“It just keeps happening. It catches us out because it happens so quickly.
“It basically traps us inside the house and there is no way to exit it.”
On one occasion, Joanne said her husband donned waders and got into a dingy to get out.
They bought the property in around 2008 and subsequent Environment Agency work on the culvert included a new driveway to the house.
“It must have flooded eight or nine times now,” said Joanne.
“It is very hard to predict when it is going to happen. The house hasn’t flooded but it’s getting deeper.
“My daughter and her partner have lost a car and I have lost a car. It seems to be getting deeper and deeper and the flood waters can be more than two metres high in parts.”
Joanne said the Environment Agency was responsible for the culvert, which goes under a hill, outside their house, but has been told Tameside Council have a duty in relation to the other end of it.
The house - Handforth Cottage - is bounded by hills and woodland, with other gardens behind their back garden at the foot of a steep hill.
“We are worried about it,” she said.
“My grandchildren stay over a lot.
“There are 10 steps at the front of the house and water has reached the fifth step.
“I contact the Environment Agency every time we get flooded but they do not seem to be doing anything about it.
“They come and clean the debris from the culvert but we are left with a mud bath.
“The Environment Agency say the council are responsible but when we contact the council, they don’t get back to us.
“The Environment Agency spent a lot of money building the culvert in front of our property but it does not work when it rains heavily.
“We have also lost three cars because it is so unpredictable.
“If it rains when we are in bed our cars get stuck on the driveway and we can’t move them. We are also stuck in the property.
“On Sunday we checked the stream at 5am and it wasn’t flooded, then by 8am it was completely flooded.
“We were told last time it happened that there was a blockage on the other side of the stream.”
Jamie Dixon, the Environment Agency Greater Manchester’s operations manager said: “The Environment Agency understands the impacts flooding can have on homes and businesses. We have worked around the clock, supporting communities at risk during Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin.
“Over the last few days our flood defences have protected more than 18,500 properties, in the North West, despite record river levels. The Environment Agency appreciates the owners of the property in Tameside must have been concerned about the flooding in their grounds over the weekend.
“The Environment Agency maintains and clears the first debris screen on this section of river, however the culvert and lower debris screens are the landowners responsibility.
“Flooding is a complex issue the Environment Agency will continue to work with the landowner, Tameside Council and the home owners to find a workable solution.”
In a statement, Tameside Council said: “With an unprecedented three storms last week, our officers have been tackling lots of issues caused by the weather, including responding to flooding across the weekend. We will work with residents and partner organisations to help solve these problems.”
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