Children seen crossing railway line to avoid floods

Residents say flooding underneath Church Hill Road bridge has become dangerous because children are crossing the railway line above it, to get to the other side

Residents living near a village railway bridge say repeated flooding is causing people to take risks, including children.

Church Hill Road in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, has a long history of flooding below the railway bridge, but local people say the problem is getting worse.

Resident Adam Poulton said he had seen children crossing the railway line to get around the flood water.

A council spokesperson said tankers had pumped out water in late September and more would be pumped out in the coming days.

Resident Adam Poulton said he had seen children crossing the railway line to get around the flood water

Mr Poulton, who has lived in Thurmaston for 31 years, said: "When the bridge is flooded, I've seen the kids get up on the wall, climb up over the railway line, over to the other side, instead of walking round."

Kashmira Singapuri, 65, who lives near the bridge, said: "I saw a boy come through with his bike. He got stuck halfway.

"He couldn't ride the bike any more and he got off his bike. He was waist-deep."

Fellow resident Shyam Hindocha, 41, said: "I've seen so many cars go through and they've been flooded, and the cars have been there for three or four days."

June Phipps, 78, added: "I've lived here 34 years and, although it's occasionally flooded, I have never, ever, seen it this bad."

Connie Frost, who lives in Thurmaston, has started a petition calling for action to prevent flooding on Church Hill Road

Mum of two Connie Frost, 34, said she had started an online petition calling for improvement work on Church Hill Road.

She added: "It's a delay getting us to school in the morning, We have to take a big diversion which causes us to be late for school sometimes.

"It's a health and safety risk. I've seen people walking barefoot through the water, not knowing what they're walking into. It's a danger."

A spokesperson for Network Rail said responsibility for the drainage under the bridge was with Leicestershire County Council.

The spokesperson added: "The railway is an incredibly dangerous place and people who trespass on the lines are putting themselves at risk and breaking the law."

'Very dangerous'

Councillor Ozzy O'Shea, cabinet member for highways, transportation and flooding for Leicestershire County Council, said: "We are going down again in the next couple of days to actually pump the water out again.

"We've already pumped almost 35 tankers full of water out in late September, so we really are trying to do the best we can for that area, but the funding is the problem."

Kate Garrigan, watch manager for community safety at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Flood water can be very dangerous.

"There could be uncovered manholes, there could be blocked drains and above all else, the water is dirty and contaminated."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Don't drive through flood water. Just 30cm (1ft) of flowing water is enough to move your car. The number one cause of death during flooding is driving through flood water.

"Don't walk through flood water. Just six inches of fast-flowing water can knock you off your feet."