Bury St Edmunds Howard estate community help clear flood water

A community helped to clear water on a flood-prone area of a Bury St Edmunds estate – with one resident calling for drains to be cleaned to prevent the problem happening again.

Following the heavy rain this morning, St Olaves Road and Eagle Walk on the Howard estate were left water-logged.

Residents helped to clear the water and shut the road.

The area of the estate was hit by major flooding in 2020 with a number of homes affected.

Resident Sharon Pledger, of Eagle Walk, has lived on the estate for seven years and it is the second time her neighbourhood has flooded to such an extent.

She said: "It was like a river rushing past the house."

Two residents blocked the road to stop water going into houses on the corner of Eagle Walk.

She said the drains were blocked and residents cleared them.

Sharon added: "The guys who cleaned it, they're just residents who are protecting their own homes."

She said the issue needed to be sorted and sandbags should be left for residents in the future.

Connor Cornel was one of the residents who unblocked the drains and said the area was 'notorious for flooding'.

He wanted to help residents to try to defend their homes as he felt they were receiving little support from official agencies.

He said the drainage was 'inadequate' and had not been cleaned fully as they contained sand from the nearby new housing development.

The estate was also affected by flooding about 20 years ago - also following heavy rain.

Firefighters were called to multiple incidents of flooded properties in the town this morning.

Meanwhile, staff at Glasswells in Newmarket Road are also clearing away flood water.

Weatherman Chris Page said some places in the East of England were recording their entire August rainfall in just one day.