Beeston: Couple endure 'nightmare' six months after flood

John Coyne and his wife Julie said water got through the roof and ran into their rooms

A man whose home of more than 40 years was flooded by a broken water main says he still feels anger and despair.

About 10 homes in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, were evacuated on 7 March when a pipe was damaged by workmen on a nearby construction site.

John Coyne and his wife are now living in their 10th rental property in the last six months.

The former university vice-chancellor believes there has been a lack of accountability from those responsible.

Mr Coyne was more than 40 miles away in Sutton Coldfield when the flooding first began.

His much-loved home of 42 years was directly under the plume of water and took the full force.

His wife Julie alerted him and began battling to keep the water out.

The 72-year-old said: "She tried to save as much as she could as the water was coming in, things of sentimental value like rescuing my daughter's wedding dress, getting things away from the back part of the house where the first water started coming in."

Mr Coyne described the last six months as a "nightmare" and "emotionally distressing".

"We lived out of two suitcases and three boxes for five months because we never were quite sure whether we were going to get back in," he said.

"As it has unfolded the damage was more severe than we first thought."

The five-bedroom house is being stripped back to brick and the floors are being taken up.

The brickwork will need to be dried out before restoration work can start.

Mr and Mrs Coyne's home of 42 years was directly under the plume of water

Mr Coyne said: "No-one seems to be accepting responsibility for what happened.

"We've tried to find answers, each party has simply passed us on to another."

He hopes to be back at home before the first anniversary of the house flooding.