Grimsby Floods Lincolnshire Flooding 2007
Tintin Ace Reporter aka Goldeneye - aka Me is Our Man on the Spot !
Today saw your intrepid host risking life, limb and a damn good ducking in order to bring you pictures and information on the greatest Grimbarian news story since the escaped lions !
25th June 2007 saw one months rainfall in about 6 hours ! The results around Grimsby, Louth and Horncastle were pretty dramatic.
Regulars will be aware of the River Freshney and the nature park around it, well, this river burst it’s banks. Thankfully La Casa Goldeneye remains dry but unfortunately some residents who live nearer the river and at lower level were not so lucky.
We were the first website to bring you the Earthquake in Lincolnshire moments after it happened
A house further down the street in Greyfriars, Wybers Wood, sadly flooded, driveway and all rear garden
Wybers Wood Flood"/>This is not a river but a pathway - estimated depth of water some 3 feet
The conditions under foot were clearly treacherous and not for the faint-hearted but feeling an obligation to bring you all the news and exclusive photographs I cast aside all concerns for my own safety and in a Ranulph Fiennesesque manner pressed on !
Conditions proved too much for even the Henri Lloyd Transglobal Boots so I was forced to return to camp for a change of footwear. This, I am sorry to say, caused me to be seen in public bedecked in Wellington boots - I profusely apologise to all those who hold me up as a standard-bearer for sartorial elegance 
but desperate times called for desperate measures !
In retrospect, I now regret this choice of footwear, I should have endured the inevitable onset of trench foot and stood the cost of ruining the Trandsglobals !
Your host, shamefaced in cheap utilitarian footwear.
Even though I am now officially a smallholder, Operation River Cottage there really was no excuse for this lapse.
The River Freshney shown overflowing - this is normally pretty shallow (like me)
St Michael’s Church, Littlecoates, in background
This shows the river above in normal circumstance
A generator and pump pumping water into the river - as if there isn’t already enough there !
A photo of a small tributary, level up approximately 5 foot and overflowing
This is not a river but normally a stone pathway !
This shows the meandering part of the river having overflowed into the lake to the rear of Wybers Wood - Note the Danger High Water sign !
Clearly the soil has been destabilized as this tree has been uprooted - a great shame
Having carried out all this news gathering and photo journalism I decided to really chance my arm and cross the border into unchartered territory, namely the Willows. According to my antiquarian hand-illuminated map it states “Here Be Monsters”
Here is the river in between the Willows Estate and Church Meadow, by Littlecoates Church. The branch in the river seen to the left is normally a dry gulley !
This shot shows the bridge which spans a dry gulch seen in the river t-junction above, the water had quite a run on it here although the picture does not quite do it justice
This is where the water above went, usually a field to the rear of the Willows Housing Estate
Here is the Golf Course to the rear of the Grimsby Leisure Centre. Note the spiked railings giving an idea of the level to which the water rose. Regulars may recognise this vista from the near fatal golf ball incident a before picture can be seen here Golf Course
This takes us into the heartlands of the Willows. It was here that most were affected. People were in fact evacuated to the Salvation Army Centre. Roads were closed off by the police. People were actually using rubber dinghies in the street, quite where these came from or why said would-be mariners had them I can only speculate, either way it shows perspicacity and the value of being prepared !
The main road in, note welcome to the Willows sign !
High water in one street, Ampleforth Avenue
Another street with a stranded car, anyone know which street it is ?
Answer: Yes! - Cromwell Road I have subsequently informed
Finally, a Damsel in Distress ! This shot taken moments before your host threw down his coat
So there we go weather watchers, a full account of what will no doubt be regarded in posterity as an historic day. I am advised that the last time this happened was 26 years ago, naturally long before my time
Let me reassure those who have been worried by my heroic and selfless attempt at cutting-edge journalism - I am OK, safe and sound. Should you be in awe of my bravery and feel the need to proffer plaudits - worry not ! There is no need - all in a day’s work for the amateur adventurer. Should you feel the need though, you can send food parcels lest the situation worsens. These should, if you’ll permit me to say, contain mainly claret and gourmet delicacies though !
Signing off
Tintin - Ace Reporter !
Witches of Eastwick said,
June 26, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
Rod,
What ever happened to the “come hell or high water” attitude …… you were missed at the ad hoc Flood Defence Discussion Group, where topics such as should sandbags be in place before, during or after a flood? While our local environment agency contributed very little to the situation, the good folk of Horncastle rallied with offers of help. The Witches would like to thank those who took the time to see that the Coven and its inhabitants were safe, what a fabulous bunch they are.
So, must we all keep a jetski in the garage or will the powers that be come up with a better solution to future floods? As far as we could tell nothing much was in place, even the siren sounded late and the town was short of bags and sand. The met office tell us that this scenario is likely to happen again with climate change so what will the authorities do about it? Certainly this will remain fresh in peoples minds when considering a house purchase.
If mother nature permits it, there will be gougere next week. Thinking on past aspirations, wouldn’t now be a good time to dust off Dino’s tin bath and take to the waters?
WoE
Captain Haddock said,
June 26, 2007 @ 10:12 pm
Tintin,
Not since Hunt’s account of his ascent of Everest have I read anything so compelling. I shall terminate my subscription to National Geographic forthwith.
Yours in awe,
Old Fish Face
Rod said,
June 27, 2007 @ 8:51 am
WoE
pleased to hear the Dunkirk spirit is live and well.
The council will be a waste of time in terms of reliability, in fact the only thing you can rely on them to do is to be unreliable !
I imagine Dino’s tin bath served him well and got him to work
“We Never Close” springs most immediately to mind
Rod said,
June 27, 2007 @ 8:56 am
This touches on something that came to my mind. about 3 houses or so suffered in my street it is merely their precise location and the fact they are in a dip that caused the problem. This last happened to the same houses 26 years ago, so not a huge issue, however …
Will my entire street now go on an insurance list as a flood risk ?
We know what that can entail and is a very real possibility imho
Best
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
June 27, 2007 @ 9:05 am
Rod,
Perhaps there is need of a new siren …… Rod in standard wellies, red alert. We are still recovering. Surely the thigh length swashbuckling type are still available from the online Adventurers Outfitters?
WoE
p.s. we’re off to order an all in one weather proof red romper suit similar to the pit girls
Rod said,
June 27, 2007 @ 9:05 am
Captain Haddock
you’d do well to concentrate on this site, where else can you get high adventure, culture, news and hot chicks in red latex
Trust there was no flooding at Marlinspike Hall
Best
Tintin - Ace Reporter
the dinosaur said,
June 27, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Sorry to say the old tin bath wasn’t much use when the river Warng expanded and took in my flat at about 9am. on monday, I saved as much as possible with the help of my upstairs neighbours but had to give up when it got too deep for safety at 10.30. After a quick change into dry clothes I did open my shop . Business as usual!
Rod said,
June 27, 2007 @ 7:18 pm
Dino
nightmare, very sorry to hear about that.
Hope all is as well as can be expected
Best wishes and good luck
Rod
Pat Wood said,
June 28, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
It was sad to see the photos of the area, where I lived for several years. In in ordinary wet spell my back garden was under water so I suppose it was a disaster waiting to happen!! Hope the weather improves soon.
Rod said,
June 28, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Hi Pat
thanks for the comment, much appreciated.
Regards
RC
Jase j said,
July 13, 2007 @ 7:24 am
I spent a while down there in the willows,not looking to good there hope the sun appears soon,
PS to Michaela Montgomery not sure if you still live there but if so get some bigger wellies
pam and ken parkinson said,
July 17, 2007 @ 11:03 am
i want say sorry hard from my auntie pam and uncle ken flood his house in 37 cromwell road grimsby also other people im sorry hope not happened again love mary