Published at 14:08, Friday, 27 November 2009

Rescue came mercifully swiftly to communities hit by flooding. Concerted efforts to lead people to safety, by air, by boat – even by piggy-back – were conducted magnificently by professionals from the emergency services, the RAF, RNLI, coastguards, mountain rescue teams and countless courageous volunteers.

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But also battling adversity in the thick of flooding emergency were groups and individuals working tirelessly to save livestock, pets, love, marriage... and Christmas.

Joyce and David Walker, of Keswick, run an animal rescue shelter from their home on Crosthwaite Gardens.

They were celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary when the floods came. Not for the first time they were at the mercy of rapidly rising waters threatening their animals – and themselves – with imminent danger.

Racing against time and encroaching flood water, they rushed the animals to their loft, where they slept with cats – including 11 kittens – dogs, a rat and guinea pigs, while a local vet carried 14 more cats away to safety in pens.

Joyce has run the animal shelter for 30 years. It is a labour of love which has earned her the local nickname of Dr Doolittle.

She said: “My first thought was for the poor animals. The vet’s wife came and took 14 of them away. We moved the rest of them upstairs for safety and we slept in the loft with the animals, my daughter, granddaughter, husband and neighbour.

“This is the second time I’ve been flooded in Crosthwaite Gardens and the fourth time I’ve been flooded in my life. It’s horrendous, despite the flood guards. This time the water came up through the floorboards.

“It took eight months to get sorted last time with all the drying out. The dog and cat beds are wet and all of the cat litter and dog biscuits are ruined. We managed to save the tinned food. We just opened the garage door and everything came floating out.”

In the RSPCA’s biggest rescue operation, 60 of the charity’s 80 swift water responders helped rescue flood victims.

They spoke to people in rescue centres to draw up lists of missing pets before going back out to search for them. About 50 animal rescues were carried out.

Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA Inspectorate, said: “It’s the first time we’ve had the whole of our national team on standby and deployed 60 of them.

“Our officers are trained to levels of fire and rescue services, which means we work with other emergency services to rescue people. When we passed that critical phase we went to the refuge centres to talk to people who’d been forced to leave. With their permission we went back into their homes to recover their pets.

“One couple, Mr and Mrs Parks, at the Sheep and Wool Centre, had been rescued from their first-floor flat. We went back to get their two cats and while there we got a call to asking if we could pick up Mr Parks’ slippers, as he has feet problems.

“ So as well as reuniting them with their beloved pets, he’s also got his slippers! Seeing the look on the faces of the pets as well as their owners makes it all worth while.”

In Keswick the clean-up, which has been joined enthusiastically by locals, has been going on for days.

Worst-affected areas have been Elliot Park including the Rugby Club and Quaker Meeting House and homes around Crosthwaite.

Businesses have barely started counting the cost left by flood. Assessment of the value of damaged stock is no easy matter.

Fin O’Clumhain, manager of the Trespass outdoor shop, said: “I stayed in the shop overnight on Thursday and watched the flood water rise. It was like a war zone.

“Water was coming through the walls. I didn’t want to leave so I stayed in a tent and sleeping bag on the first floor and kept going down to check. The shop is contaminated but my hope is that we will be able to continue trading from a part of the store.”

Access to Keswick is from the A66 or the A591 with diversions in place as the main Greta Bridge in the town has been closed.

Keswick councillor Ron Munby said: “There is an air of calmness around Keswick. My concerns are for the Greta Bridge. If that remains closed then it could have a devastating impact on tourism in the town.”

Rescue of tourism might not seem to be an urgent matter in a dark, wet midwinter. But it is a concern prominent in the minds of many in Keswick and Cockermouth. Tourist chiefs in Keswick are keen to send out a strong message that the town is open for business, that visitors are welcome and the shops are open.

Enormous support has been shown for flood-hit Cumbrian communities. People from all over the country have written, called and emailed their promises to holiday here next year to help rebuild dented local economies and lift spirits.

In times of deep fear and trouble, rescue of hope is essential – hard to define but essential.

When it happens it means so much. And when Christmas is rescued, it means everything.

In Cockermouth Christmas looked like having to be cancelled because of the floods. The annual lights switch-on in Main Street was called off, few were in the mood for ho-ho-ho and even Santa had his spirits dampened.

But Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team had other ideas. Rescue team members had been heavily involved in saving people from their flooded homes, working without rest to lead the stricken to safety.

The next job, they reckoned, was to save Christmas. They put up a tree outside their rescue base, trimmed it with lights and decorations donated by Whinlatter forest and Limelighting and invited friends and family to join them for an impromptu switch-on ceremony.

Mike Park, the Cockermouth team leader, said: “We have been through a fair bit the last few days. It has been a humbling experience. It’s our town, our homes and our businesses that are affected. At times it has been upsetting. But Cockermouth is a strong town and will pull together to sort itself out.”

In similar reluctance to sideline the magically inspirational powers of Christmas, the good folks of Keswick also decided to rescue traditional festivities.

A Christmas fair will take place today in the town centre with the lights switched on this evening.

The town’s traditional Victorian Christmas Fayre will take place on December 6 from 11.30am with stalls, entertainment and a visit from Santa. Parking will be free.

Graham Simons, chairman of the Traditional Christmas Fayre committee, said: “Despite recent events, many people have asked us to continue. We are all mindful of the hundreds of people throughout Keswick and other areas of the county who have lost their homes due to recent flooding, and we hope that this year’s event can at least bring a little enjoyment and “normality” during this distressing period.”

Determined not to make heavy weather of obstacles to their wedding plans, Derek Holliday and Marian Jenner rescued love from disaster, by fighting floods, mud and closed roads to take their vows as planned... with Marian in bridal gown and wellies.

They had booked the Inn on the Lake at Glenridding for a civil ceremony last Saturday. But flooding closed the roads. The terms of their wedding licence meant they had to have the ceremony there or cancel it altogether.

Sheer doggedness and two 4x4s got them to Glenridding – with the groom in jeans and the bride in wellington boots. Marian, 37, said: “I was unbelievably happy that we were able to get married. At that moment it was all that mattered.

“The day before we were quite down because we thought the wedding was off. Then we heard about the policeman who died in Workington when that bridge was swept away and that put it in perspective. It was really sad for us but there was a lot worse than a cancelled wedding going on.”

Countless stories of the triumph of hope over fear and loss have epitomised the character of Cumbrians, as their county suffered its worst times of torment.

They are stories of a hope that is essential and fundamental to the firm promise that the fine, unbreakable spirit of Cumbrian life will not be broken.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk