'The worst thing is hearing a rainstorm warning'

Beverley Flynn indicating how high the water had been when her home flooded

Members of a flood action group have welcomed news that £1.2m is to be spent on additional flood defences to protect homes and businesses from the River Severn.

Two stretches of permanent flood barriers are to be be installed in Ironbridge, with additional measures for properties in Ladywood and Dale End not protected by the barriers.

Beverley Flynn of Coalbrookdale flood action group said living through a flood had been "horrendous".

She said the ground floor of her home was unusable for six months.

Fellow member, Chris Harrison of Dale End Cafe, which has also been flooded numerous times, said he was pleased Telford and Wrekin Council and the government had taken notice of the issue.

The council, which had lobbied for funding since 2020, has been awarded £1.2m by the government to build the walls in Dale End and Ladywood.

There will also be help for some properties not protected by the barriers, including additional waterproofing, pumps and flood doors.

Ironbridge has had temporary flood barriers since 2004, which are erected when the river rises to protect properties along the Wharfage.

Ms Flynn said when her Coalbrookdale home flooded, the water was 3ft (1m) deep within a few minutes.

"You are literally up to your waist in water, wading around trying to save things of sentimental value, that any insurance wouldn't be able to replace.

"You get to the point where you think, hang on, it's up to my chest now, I really need to get upstairs out of harm's way."

Being in a world heritage site made making changes to the property more difficult, she said.

"The whole thing is soul-destroying... the worst thing is when you get a warning... that potential rainstorms are coming.

"You sit there and think, what do I do? Do I empty my house now, or wait for something to happen?"

Chris Harrison feared the Coalbrookdale cafe he runs with his wife would not reopen after the last flood

Chris Harrison of Dale End Cafe has been affected by brook and River Severn flooding, but said flooding from the brook was worst, as there was little time to prepare.

"Our biggest threat is from the Coalbrook, because when that goes, it goes within 15 minutes, it's quite volatile," he said.

The business was last flooded in October 2023, and "we honestly thought we wouldn't be starting again," said Mr Harrison.

He said it was only because other people had lent them catering equipment that they could carry on, and the cafe really needed a permanent flood protection wall installed.

The fact money was going to be spent on additional defences was "good news for businesses and residents," he added.

Shaun Davies, the outgoing leader of Telford and Wrekin Council and now Telford's MP, said the defences would not be enough to provide protection for every property in the Ironbridge Gorge.

He said the authority would talk to those still at risk, to find ways to protect them "from the misery that frequent flooding is causing".