The Herefordshire family so afraid of rain, they set alarms

Craig Hatch said he set alarms during the night if rain was forecast

A family whose home has flooded four times this year say they are so afraid of rain, they set alarms to wake them up if it is forecast.

Craig and Charlotte Hatch live near Ledbury in Herefordshire where rainwater cascades across a nearby field and road towards their property.

They prepare sandbags and compulsively monitor forecasts as they worry what the day will bring.

The couple add they are in touch with the field owner about what can be done.

But with persistent wet weather so far this year, they remain in the meantime on constant "water watch".

"The water builds... and five minutes later, it's risen at least an inch - then another 10 or 15 minutes later, it's risen another three to four inches," Mr Hatch said.

The Hatches said water travelled from a field opposite their house, across a road, and towards their property

Mrs Hatch said she constantly checked weather apps to see whether it was going to rain.

"I used to love the rain, now I hate the rain," she explained.

• Listen: Ledbury family kept awake by flooding fears

Her husband said alarms were set during the night if rain was forecast, to help them watch for any water seeping into their Putley home.

"It's sleepless nights... We've got to manage it that way," he explained.

Mr Hatch added he had dug a channel in his garden because if the water got all the way across the lawn, it reached the front door.

That, and a special configuration of sandbags, meant he could sometimes "keep on top" of the situation, but "if while it's happening we were to have a further period of heavy rain" the measures would not work, because water would be sent in another direction, risking household entry all over again.

In such a scenario, he said, "we have to move the sandbags and stand with sweeping brushes to try to keep it out that way".

The home was flooded in February, May and October last year, twice in January this year and twice again in February.

The first incident came 18 months after they moved in, and the next two years later, but Mr Hutch said it was now happening more regularly.

"Year on year [the flooding is] getting worse. Where the end is, I don't know," he said.