A couple has been left devastated after part of their home was wrecked by flood water as they slept.
Jacob Naylor and Aimee Chard were rescued by firefighters using a dinghy after their house flooded on New Year’s Day. The filthy water has left their kitchen wrecked along with ground floor rooms of neighbouring properties and several cars.
The couple has been living in the house in Hurst Lane, Mirfield for around 18 months and had not been able to secure house insurance for their rented property.
Their house, along with neighbouring properties, is protected by a large metal flood gate, but the couple say it wasn’t closed at the time as the water rose so quickly in the night before a flood alert could be acted on. The properties are located between a canal and the river Calder.
Aimee Chard and Jacob Naylor outside their home which flooded on New Year’s Day
Aimee was left in tears at the mess and said her beloved Fiat 500 had also been wrecked, along with several others cars that were deluged with water.
She said: “When we woke up it was really scary. It was all flooded. We were up until 3am because it was New Year. We were rescued at 11am when we were woken up by firefighters. We saw our belongings floating in the kitchen.”
They returned later that day to see firefighters still pumping water out.
“I was hysterical yesterday. I am in shock and crying. This is our first home.”
Neighbours said the area had flooded several times in the past.
Jacob said that, from what he had been told, the flood water had risen in around 20 minutes during the night.
Cars under flood water in Hurst Lane, Mirfield, on New Year’s Day
He said: “We were woken up by the fire brigade knocking on the door to rescue us on a boat. The water was up to the top of the cars. All the cars are knackered.”
He said people from around 10 households had been affected and had to be rescued.
“We have lost all the kitchen appliances – the fridge, washer-dryer. My parents and my girlfriend’s parents and auntie and friend are helping.”
Jacob and Aimee thanked family and friends for helping with the cleaning up process.
Get all the latest and breaking Huddersfield news straight to your inbox by signing up to our daily newsletter here.