Couple homeless after 'scary' houseboat disaster

Ashley Corkish and Jamie McSeveney's houseboat was recovered from Mersea Island three days after it went missing

A couple have been left homeless after their houseboat was destroyed in a storm.

Ashley Corkish, 35, and Jamie McSeveney, 33, were "left to the elements" and lost "everything we owned" after getting caught in the bad weather.

They had been towing the boat, which had been undergoing repairs, back to London, where they are both from.

The wreckage was recovered from waters off Mersea Island, in Essex, three days later.

"As the tide was coming back in, this almighty storm came," Ms Corkish said.

"It was horrendous. The two boats smashed off of each other, which broke the anchors and we were then left to drift.

"All the lights went out and the waves were going over the top of the boat. The boat was rocking, everything was falling on the floor. It was extremely scary."

Ms Corkish and Mr McSeveney bought their boat in February this year

Also on board was Ms Corkish's brother and his partner.

The boat they were on eventually ended up near East Mersea, where all four were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.

They returned to the island as they had been told to expect the houseboat to wash up close to where they had been rescued.

'Grateful'

Despite never visiting the island before, locals welcomed the couple as their own – offering sleeping bags, food, and warm clothes.

"We are so grateful [to the people of Mersea], even just for putting clothes on our backs," added Ms Corkish, who is working for the London Ambulance Service while studying to qualify as a paramedic.

She also extended her thanks to the lifeboat volunteers who came to their aid.

Ms Corkish and her partner, a labourer, have returned to their jobs in London while staying with friends and family.

Together, they hope to return to the water as soon as possible.

But their insurance policy will only cover the cost of recovering the wreckage, and not replacing their home or possessions.

Since the incident, the couple have received hundreds of pounds in donations on an online fundraising page, including from strangers from Mersea.