VILLAGERS rallied round after some of the worst flooding in West Dorset which left one couple forced out of their home and many others feeling they had a lucky escape.

Pensioners Ken and Noreen Short saw flood waters almost waist-high sweep through their idyllic retirement cottage in Burton Bradstock, situated in the worst area for flooding.

Furniture, fittings and carpets were ruined as the River Bride and torrential rain combined to inundate the coast road and pour into their home.

“It was so lucky that our daughter had heard the flood warnings and rang us to say we should put all our precious things on the first floor,” said Noreen.

“As the water rose we were told we had to leave the house. But people have been so kind.

“If anyone wants to retire somewhere, this is the village.

“We went into the pub at first and Ken was so wet he had to sit there in his underwear and we have been staying with friends in the village.

“But I couldn’t believe it when we came back and went to the fishpond, which is covered with netting and all the fish were still there, looking for their food.”

A collection has been started in the village post office and Three Horse-shoes pub for the Shorts.

Bed and breakfast owner Tim Comley said he was exasperated by the lack of practical help from the Environment Agency.

“There were people around, talking on telephones, but where were the sandbags?” he asked.

“I would have thought that the least they could have done was to supply sandbags to the properties closest to the river, but they didn’t even knock on the door to see if there were any elderly or vulnerable people inside.”

Mr Comley said that the villagers turned out in force to create makeshift sandbags from a pile of gravel he had had delivered.

“There were people stuffing gravel into bags – it was the real Dunkirk spirit,” he added.