Help for Somerset flood-hit cafe owner 'phenomenal'

Local people helped to clear the damage from the flooded cafe

A business owner says she was inundated with help after her cafe was damaged during recent flooding.

The Levels Store and Cafe at Burrowbridge, on the Somerset Levels, was one of the properties hit by high flood water during a period of heavy rain earlier this month.

The cafe had only been trading for nine weeks when it was hit by the flood.

"We've had lots of people stopping to help as they've been driving past," said owner Claire Chedzoy.

"We've had an amazing response from not just locals, by people further afield in Taunton and Bridgwater."

Claire Chedzoy's daughter Lauren (left) and team member Lizz (right)

Speaking to BBC Somerset, Ms Chedzoy said: "It's been amazing. People have been ringing me constantly asking if they can do anything. It's been phenomenal."

"[They] helped us loading skips and shovelling debris out of the café, mopping, cleaning down everything."

Ms Chedzoy, who lives locally, said she was aware of the risk of floods in the area.

"We hoped and prayed because of the promise of dredging on the rivers and looking after the ditches, that this would never happen," she said.

Ms Chedzoy said much of the damage was cosmetic, but they need things to dry out before the cafe reopens

As the rain fell, they monitored CCTV footage from home and watched as the water levels rose.

When they woke up the next morning, Ms Chedzoy said the rain was 3ft (30cm) up the the door.

She said they managed to save a lot of the stock and that the damage was mostly cosmetic.

The business is currently unable to trade while they wait for everything to dry out, but Ms Chedzoy said the damage could have been much worse.