Somerset family loses thousands after 'frightening' flooding

Dawn Smith has had her caravan flooded out

A woman has said she and her daughter have lost at least £14,000 between them after their caravans were flooded.

Dawn Smith and her 25-year-old daughter live in caravans next to each other at a campsite at Long Load, which is near Muchelney on the Somerset levels.

Two weeks after torrential rain on 4 December, the site was still a few feet underwater.

Ms Smith said it was "frightening and gutting" as after a couple of days, the water inside "came up to my ankles".

"It was already gone to rack and ruin - I just thought we had to leave."

She had only just finishing paying off her caravan in August and her daughter - who also has a five month old baby - still has payments until April next year.

Ms Smith explained that they had "lost everything", including clothes, TVs and even their family photos.

The whole area has been badly affected by the flooding

While the water has gone down a little, at one point it could "go up to your waist with waders on".

"I don't go down there often now because I just break down," she added.

While they are now homeless, people around them have been helping out.

The landowner is allowing Ms Smith to use one of the other caravans there.

Her daughter and granddaughter are staying with family while a social worker from the council helps.

The torrential rain on 4 December caused much of the area to flood

Ms Smith's workplace has given her a grant she does not have to pay back and colleagues have been asking her what she needs.

Her friends have even set up an online fundraising page.

She said she had wanted it to be a special Christmas, but it would not be the same now, although she did manage to save her granddaughter's gifts from the caravan.

Even though Ms Smith does not know how long it would take to get back to normal, the campsite remained home: "I'd still like to live on the campsite. I've been here seven years."