Still waiting to return home

A YEAR after the floods and the Atkins family are still not back in their flooded home. In fact they are not even close to returning.

A variety of circumstances have meant that it could be another six months before they return to their lovely period house at the end of Church Lane in Lewes.

Anger and depression is what we mostly feel, said Peter Atkins, 68. It is not about losing possessions, although we lost some beautiful objects. It is about losing the home.

For the past 12 months we have, in a sense, put our lives on hold.

A friend, who had heard the flood warnings, called on Peter on that fateful day October 12, 2000.

Peter had just reached the point of offering him a cup of coffee when water simultaneously entered through the front and back doors.

A wall of water had poured down Church Lane. At the same time the river over-topped its banks.

We were chased upstairs in what seemed like a very short space of time , added Peter. Soon, I could see the piano floating upside-down in the ground-floor lounge. The water rose to about 2.5 metres.

My son telephoned on his mobile and called the police and fire brigade. We climbed down a ladder from upstairs and were rescued by boat.

Peter and his wife Sue stayed with friends and then found a hotel for a couple of weeks. From there, they rented a home in Folkington before returning to rent in Lewes.

The drying out of their coach-house home lasted until April. The repair work was sporadic, in part held up by the separation of the semi-detached house next door to make it detached.

Then came a decision to tank the floor and walls up to a metre s height. Special plastic flood doors have also been purchased which, when fitted in a flood emergency, use the water pressure to become water-tight.

We hope to be back by Easter 18 months after the floods, added Peter. And we shall have a party.

Not the least of the Atkins worries has been theft and vandalism at the house. Windows have been smashed and large pots and benches stolen from the garden.