'Solemn' town rallies in flooding aftermath

Laura Caunce is helping to co-ordinate clean-up efforts in Ormskirk

The mood was "solemn" as residents hit by the New Year's Day floods banded together to pick up the pieces - but it was punctuated with lighter moments.

Homes around the Halsall Lane area of Ormskirk, in West Lancashire, were badly affected as heavy rain battered the region on Wednesday.

Laura Caunce, who runs the Ormskirk Community Group Facebook page, said there had been a "lot of tears" but she was "amazed" by the response of local people.

She helped organise a clean-up event on Friday and has been leading fundraising efforts for those whose homes were flooded out.

"On New Year's Day, there was water waist-high, people were trapped in their houses," she said.

"I know of at least one woman who had to be rescued by boat to leave her house."

Some residents had to be rescued by boat in Ormskirk

The BBC has reported the experiences of Ormskirk residents Alan and and Emma Ball, who returned from a night away to find the flooding had killed their pet dog and rabbit.

Another local, Andrew Whithers, described being awoken in the early hours to "thigh-deep" water flooding into his property.

Ms Caunce said local people had helped keep those trapped in their homes fed by throwing sandwiches up to their windows.

"Yesterday [Thursday] was quite a solemn mood, a lot of tears and, yeah, just heartbreaking."

On Friday, volunteers handed out packs of cleaning materials, fizzy drinks and food while helping with the clean-up effort.

The scenes in the streets around Halsall Lane in Ormskirk on Thursday

Ms Caunce added: "It's absolutely amazing to see so many people come out and, if they can't come out, they're donating items to help us clean up, or sustenance to get through the day.

"It's brilliant to see so many people caring."

A crowdfunding page set up by Ms Caunce has raised more than £3,300 and paid for the hire of 10 industrial dehumidifiers.

She said the impact of the flooding was more widespread than residents had initially hoped.

"It's quite a mix of emotions here today," she said.

"But then, with the sense of community, there's some smiles and laughs along the way, which is nice to try and bring up people's spirits."