1953 flooding remembered in King's Lynn

Mick Fisher was eight in 1953 and remembers the King's Lynn flood in Norfolk

A man who was just eight when flooding claimed the lives of 15 people in his coastal town has recalled watching the waves reaching the top of the stairs in his home, 70 years ago.

Hundreds died when flood waters engulfed parts of the east coast of England on 31 January 1953.

Commemorations and a church service have been held in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

Mick Fisher, now in his 70s, said his family was rescued, but his neighbours died. "Sadly, we lost them," he said.

More than 80 people died along the coast of Norfolk on that fateful night.

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Asked about his most vivid memory of 70 years ago, Mr Fisher said: "Looking out my bedroom window, seeing the waves coming across the playing field at the back of my house - illuminated by the streetlight - and then [the light] went out."

Next thing the family knew, the water was "coming up the stairs one at a time - and stopping one from the top".

"The next step was getting in the loft out of the way, but we didn't have to do that, thank goodness," he said.

Some 25 lives were lost in Snettisham, just north of King's Lynn, as flood waters surged inland from The Wash

His family was rescued the following morning, and Mr Fisher remembered "getting out the bedroom window into an Army lorry".

"The people next door sadly drowned - we lost them, I'm afraid," he said.

Plaques and engravings show where the water level reached on the walls of the town's Minster during the floods

This photograph was taken in King's Lynn the morning after the flooding hit, on Sunday, 1 February

He and his sister were sent to live with their grandparents for six months while his parents sorted out the damage to the family home.

"Our parents probably didn't tell us how bad it was," said Mr Fisher.

"But... everyone had small allotments so there were chickens and things floating around in people's houses. It was not very nice. And there was a lot of mud."

Commemorations in King's Lynn included a demonstration of the flood gates, which were not there in 1953

Mr Fisher was at King's Lynn Minster where an event hosted by the Environment Agency has commemorated those who died.

It included a demonstration of the flood gates protecting the town, a memory wall and a service at the church.

Canon Mark Diamond said the flood threat remained and "with rising sea levels this is a problem we're going to have to face"

Canon Mark Diamond, rector of the Minster, said: "It may be a fading memory, but actually for some it's still a living memory.

"There are those who witnessed what happened and were very young... but they still remember very well that tragic night.

"So we're here to remember those families that lost loved ones, but we're also here to learn from these past tragedies.

"With rising sea levels this is a problem we're going to have to face again."

The Minster was packed for the remembrance service marking the 70th anniversary of the flood

Representatives of the Environment Agency were in King's Lynn as part of the event.

Caroline Douglass, executive director of flood and coastal risk management, said: "1953 was a devastating flood for so many people - when you hear the stories, it's just so moving.

"But what has improved since then is that we now have flood warnings, which we didn't have back then; we've improved our forecasting in partnership with the Met Office... and also we've built lots of assets such as those you can see around us [flood gates], and the Thames Barrier, all of which were done after 1953.

"We can never protect everyone from flooding, but we're doing our best to put defences in place to reduce the impacts."

Caroline Douglass from the Environment Agency urged people to be aware of the risk of flooding to their homes