Police probe launched after tractor driver despatched waves of Storm Bert floodwaters smashing by way of store home windows whereas rushing by way of Worcestershire city
A police probe has been launched after a tractor triggered waves of Storm Bert floodwaters to smash into local businesses – shattering windows and sending doors flying open.
The large farm vehicle was on Sunday snapped speeding down a flooded street in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
West Mercia Police are now investigating after they saw videos of the incident circulating on social media.
The footage shows the tractor zooming down the flooded road with the water nearly covering its wheels.
Behind the camera alarmed bystanders can be heard saying: ‘Oh my good God,’ and: ‘That’s caused so much damage, all the shops up the high street’.
The vehicle caused the water on the already-flooded properties to sweep further into shops and homes on either side of the street.
Many business owners said waves caused by the tractor smashed windows of premises which were already impacted by flooding and worsened flooding in some areas protected by sandbags.
A police probe has been launched after a tractor triggered waves of Storm Bert floodwaters to hit local businesses in a small market town
The farm vehicle was seen speeding down the flooded street in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire on Sunday
The footage shows the vehicle zoomin down the flooded road with the water nearly covering its wheels
In a statement West Mercia Police said: ‘We’re actively investigating the incident and officers are in Tenbury Wells this morning speaking to people whose businesses and properties may have been affected, as well as reviewing additional video footage.
‘No arrests have been made at this time. We will provide further updates when we are able to.’
Paul Birkin, the owner of the Crow pub, told The Guardian: ‘It was bad, the water had come up, but nothing would have happened to the pub if it wasn’t for the tractor.
‘There wasn’t a drop of water in here until he drove through.
‘This business would have probably got away with it but he came down, for whatever reason, at that speed.’
The locked front doors of the pub were pushed open and damaged, along with the windows next to it, with the wave of water moving sandbags across the room.
The main street through Tenbury Wells was submerged under several feet of water after the Kyre Brook burst its banks.
The co-owners of the beauty business Eternally Ageless Aesthetics, Stephanie Hopkins and Nick Harrold, had to come to terms with the damage caused by the wave.
The tractor caused the water on the already-flooded properties to go into shops and homes on either side of the street
West Mercia Police are now investigating after they were made aware that videos of the incident was circulating on social media
Mr Harrold said the tractor was to blame for the ‘total devastation’ saying: ‘That’s certainly not flood damage is it, that’s the impact of the tidal wave.’
The pair had pumped £15,000 of their own money into the business to get it set up 18 months ago but now they say this could be the end of the road.
He explained how they couldn’t afford to pay for insurance and Hopkins added that they don’t have the funds to spend on repairs.
It comes as major clean up operations are underway across the UK after Storm Bert wreaked havoc across the nation at the weekend.
Hundreds of flood warnings remained in place on Monday morning after the storm brought 82mph winds, snow and a month’s worth of rain, leaving at least five people dead in its wake.
More than 400 flood alerts or warnings were issued across Britain on Monday – including 206 alerts and 157 warnings in England; and 29 alerts and ten warnings in Wales. There were three severe flood warnings, while Scotland had four warnings in place.
Strong winds, waves and rain brought by Storm Bert at Newhaven in West Sussex on Sunday
Landslides in Cwmtillery, south Wales, have left roads blocked with mud and debris
A swollen river in Pontypridd rushes through the town amid heavy rain caused by Storm Bert on Sunday
The storm initially brought blizzards when it barrelled in over the weekend – but flurries were quickly swept away as up to three quarters of a month’s rain turned rivers into torrents, flooding homes, causing transport disruption and power cuts.
On Monday severe travel disruption and high risk flooding remain, with Northamptonshire Police warning against ‘all unnecessary travel’.
Bert has claimed five lives – the latest being a man in his 80s who died after his car entered water at a ford on Cockhill Lane in Foulridge, Lancashire, on Saturday.
And rescuers yesterday found the body of a pensioner reported missing after going to walk his dog near the swollen River Conwy in North Wales, 24 hours earlier.
Police divers and mountain rescue volunteers had scoured the banks of the river near Trefriw to search for Brian Perry, 75, before making the tragic discovery. He was visiting the area and his wife raised the alarm after he failed to return from the walk.
There were three deaths on the roads on Saturday – including Mohammed Wahid, 34, whose car hit a wall in the heavy snow in Shipley, West Yorkshire, just before 1pm.
A man in his 60s died when his Mercedes was hit by a tree on the A34 at Winnall, Hampshire. And a man in his 40s died on the A45 near Flore, Northamptonshire.
