A restaurant was devastated "in minutes" when a flash flood burst through its doors at Greenbank Park.
Flash flooding hit the Watering Can at around 3.30pm yesterday after a sudden downpour. Members of staff at the bistro were forced to suspend service and attempted to stem the flow of water with bags. But it did not take long before the bistro was submerged.
The restaurant was forced to remain closed on Friday as a result of the flood. Staff spent the day cleaning up dirt and debris left behind.
READ MORE: Owners of The Watering Can launch new venue The Wheelbarrow near Sefton Park
Owner Phil Starling told the ECHO: "After the storm yesterday, there was an extremely heavy downpour that caused floods at Greenbank Road. It's an ongoing issue whenever there are heavy rains, but we've never had anything quite like this.
"The drains were just overwhelmed by the sheer volume of surface water and it continued to run down the park into the cafe. Within five minutes we were under inches of water. It just came in at such speed."
He said the flooding had caused 'several thousands of pounds' worth of damage to the bistro's floor and sideboards - but that it was hoped the venue would be up and running again tomorrow.
He said: "It's all hands on deck today. All the team came in. The water has subsided and left a lot of mud and debris behind, which we are cleaning up. We should be open again tomorrow."
Co-owner Keith Perryman added: “Our team are working tirelessly to ensure that any period of closure is minimised and normal service resumed as soon as possible.
“We have faced so many challenges over the past couple of years navigating the pandemic and the ongoing difficulties associated with it, but our team are working tirelessly to ensure that we will be back open as soon as possible to welcome our loyal customers. We will be keeping our guests updated on our social media platforms."
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