Families were forced out of their homes in September 2024
Bulwer Street residents Lin Crilly (left), and Liz Earnshaw(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The victims of a severe flooding incident have finally been allowed to return home after spending eight months in hotels and temporary accommodation.
Emergency services were called to Bulwer Street in Bootle on September 30 after water started gushing into people’s homes – with many requiring rescue boats to get out safely.
It was the second major flooding incident reported on this road in the last 14 years and left dozens of residents effectively homeless as their living spaces became submerged – ruining household items such as TVs and sofas as well as personal mementos and family heirlooms.
People have been living in temporary accommodation for the last eight months as they waited for their properties to be renovated and repaired after suffering extensive flood damage. Thankfully, most people have returned home after what has been a very difficult time.
Scene of the flooding on Bulwer Street in Bootle, September 30(Image: Resident handout)
As a way of commemorating their return and to show their appreciation to a valued member of the clean-up team, Bulwer Street residents organised a celebration on Friday afternoon (May 30) where they presented Forshaw Group support manager, Paula Prescott, with flowers and chocolates.
The Forshaw Group were the company tasked with the clean-up operation after the floods and were contracted by United Utilities to renovate people’s houses. As part of this process, Forshaw’s placed Paula on site and she made herself available every day to hear residents concerns.
Paula said: “My job was just to make sure everyone was ok really.
“I’ve dealt with similar situations before so I know what to expect. I know how they feel when it first happens, they’re all in shock for days. It’s just horrendous and all you can do is just try and support people.
Flowers presented to Paula Prescott from the Forshaw Group, as a thank-you from residents of Bulwer Street, for all her help after the flooding.(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
“The people here have been absolutely brilliant. I remember when my dad died during all this and the residents bought me flowers then as well and had a big whip round. I couldn’t believe it and they’re such lovely people.”
However, the residents at Bulwer Street are keen to stress Paula’s importance to them as they navigated some of the most difficult months of their lives.
Linda Crilly lives at 30 Bulwer Street and described her feelings about the latest flood incident: “It has happened before, so we kind of knew what to expect, but still, it is a huge shock to have to leave your house when all the sewage water is coming in.
“Now that more and more people are back home there is a sense of relief but it’s tempered with a bit of caution.
Paula Prescott from the Forshaw Group (far left), receives a bouquet of flowers from Bulwer Street residents, including 13 year old Izzy, applauded by ltr Liz Earnshaw, Lin Crilly, Sarah with guide dog Ronnie, and John Bowden(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
“What I will say is the response has been a lot better this time, in the sense that we’ve had people with contact numbers and names that we can get in touch with if there’s been any problems. Most people have been very helpful and especially Paula.”
These sentiments were shared by Sarah, 34, who lives with 13-year-old daughter Izzy and Sarah’s guide dog Ronnie. She said the flood in September last year – and the events directly afterwards – were incredibly stressful for her family.
Sarah added: “We were living in a hotel for several weeks before we actually got a temporary home, and that was stressful enough, because we were moving from hotel to hotel. It’s been a rollercoaster to be honest.
“We are so happy to be back home but when it rains it does make you worry, but throughout it all we’ve had Paula who has been amazing and done so much including giving me a hug. We’d be lost without her.”