RESIDENTS of Lower Priory and Havens Head, who suffered terrible loss in last year’s horrendous flooding, have described their heart-breaking experiences.

The November 8 flooding at Lower Priory and Havens Head saw floodwater as high as eight feet, devastating homes and residents’ lives.

Emergency services battled the waters, with residents fearing for their lives.

One of the issues raised from the November 8 incident was a claimed failure by the Port of Milford Haven to keep water-draining culverts clear at Lower Priory and Havens Head.

It is also claimed by local residents that a lake of water at Lower Priory, which was once tidal, has gradually become silted up since the development of the Havens Head retail park, with water less able to drain.

Sarah Rees, of Havens Head, described the scenes during the November floods: “The water was crystal clear, like being in a bath; and then suddenly the brown came in.

“Every time it rains the first thing that enters your head is what’s the pond condition?

“It was pitch black, all the electricity had gone out; we had to try and get out of the back, trying to find the steps to get out of the garden.

“I had my daughter with me, she just had time to grab her A-level books and go; we were trying to get out of that house. The force of the water, you can still feel it.

“We had to try and get out of the garden in Havens Head, it was the most terrifying experience of my life.”

During a July 26 stakeholder meeting of the Port of Milford Haven, chairman, Chris Martin, chief executive Andy Jones and senior staff addressed questions on the flooding.

Following that meeting, Chairman Chris Martin and Vice-chair Andrew Edwards agreed on Tuesday, July 30, to visit residents of both Havens Head and Lower Priory, including County Councillor Viv Stoddart, to hear their concerns.

It was the first visit by any senior members of the Port Authority.

For Ian Bannister of Lower Priory and his daughter Natalie who lives next door, the eight-foot floods were both terrifying and have caused them a huge financial cost.

They have both lost many of their possessions to the flood water, tainted with sewage, made worse by their insurance company now classing the area as a flood zone and not paying out.

Ian Bannister, of Lower Priory, said: “As far as I’m concerned, nobody [from the Port] set foot in the village.

“We all told you [the Port] we were being flooded on the morning of the 7th, the water started to rise about 12 o’clock, it started getting worse and then it started to rain.”

Natalie said: “I was doing the washing in the kitchen and I felt: ‘I’ve got to get my baby out’.

“I had to take her to my parents’ home; we were just trying to put everything up here, it was pointless, we were expecting inches and it went to feet.”

Ian described the scenes as the floodwater rose higher and higher at his daughter’s home: “As a grandad, with all the toys floating and all the Christmas presents, it broke my heart.

“If the baby was sleeping in the cot downstairs, that baby would certainly have drowned.”

Port chairman Chris Martin told the residents: “I don’t think either of us can imagine what you went through; this is going to take a long time for you to get over.

“One of the lessons learned for me is we should’ve come here before; without hearing the experiences of what we’ve heard today; you can’t imagine.

“We’ll take away some key points and understand a little bit more.

“We’re all awaiting the eight recommendations that were made [in a report on the flooding] and we’re as keen as you are to see that they are adhered to.”

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Viv Stoddart said: “For over 40 years combined I have lived in Lower Priory and about half a mile up the lane from Havens Head, so I know the area as well as anyone. The residents have also lived in both hamlets for a similar number of years, probably longer than me.

“No-one can recall such drastic and exceptional flooding that lasted for so long as occurred last autumn.

“I found it significant that the MHPA’s chair Chris Martin, and the vice-chair Andrew Edwards had to admit that they had not visited the area until today.

“I would have expected them to at least quietly reconnoitre the sites in the aftermath of November’s flooding, if only to brief themselves and get an understanding of what happened.”