Family lend a helping hand amid flooded home heartbreak

Residents in West Berkshire are still trying to do everything they can to protect their homes from water as flooding continues to sweep the district.

Among them is Newbury couple Sami and Reem Gabriel who live with their two children aged 14 and 18-years-old and, new addition to the family, six-year-old puppy Ella.

Since the floods began last week, the Gabriel family’s garden has flooded, as has their garage and newly built outdoor office building.

And now they fear their home may meet the same fate.

Mr Gabriel has three pumps running in a bid to mitigate damage around his home in Shaw Road and has since put a fourth inside the house.

He has also been lending his back-up pumps to neighbours and offering a helping hand, sealing doors for people – especially those who live alone or may need extra help.

Other neighbours have been offering to share materials or even bring over a cooked meal.

“It has brought out the best in a lot of people,” Mr Gabriel said.

“We have councillors regularly coming round checking on us.

“But I know many have asked the council for sandbags and their official position is we don’t do that anymore.”

He added: “Neighbours have been helping out and it has shown a good light to a lot of people.

“But also it has highlighted so many deficiencies in the systems, from the Environment Agency monitoring system to the flood alert announcements.”

As for the couple’s brand new outdoor office – they fear it is now damaged beyond repair.

When constructing it a year and half ago, they had raised all the doorways and raised all of their windowsills.

Their precautions seemed to be paying off until the concrete floor inside the garden building burst and buckled.

“We thought without having to do too much more [the building] should protect itself and to a very high degree it did exactly that,” Mr Gabriel said.

“I have a camera inside, looking at it, and it was all looking perfectly dry and clear until one evening, the concrete floor inside it burst.

“Until this morning not a single drop of water made it in through any of the [garden office] doors or windows but now the floor inside is buckled up in the middle.

“I have no idea how we are going to restore this building.

“I am almost concerned it is a write off.”

Mr Gabriel said it has also impacted his 18-year-old daughter whose mock A-level exams begin this week.

The family, who celebrate Christmas on January 7, were also due to enjoy the festivities away with relatives but had to cancel.

“We are doing what we can,” Mr Gabriel said.

“For many people this is the first time something like this has happened.

“But for authorities and agencies, they have historical records and experiences.

“They need to learn what to do to be better prepared next time.”