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Burnley Council boss escapes disaster up in Hebden Bridge floods drama
Burnley Council's head of green spaces and amenities Simon Goff
HE may know a thing or two about the environment but Burnley’s head of Green Spaces could do nothing about “Biblical” floods that washed into his Hebden Bridge home.
Mr Simon Goff, in charge of all things environmental at Burnley Council, had to dash home when his teenage son, Marcus, rang him in a panic on Monday to say water was gushing towards their West Yorkshire house.
“I jumped on my bicycle and managed to catch the next train home,” he said. “It was sunny in Burnley and Todmorden but the flooding was of Biblical proportions in Hebden Bridge.
“The park was like a lake and everywhere was closed. There had been three hours of intense rain and it was like Niagara Falls in our back garden.”
Water seeped into the family’s basement, spare bedroom and garage, but luckily the only damage was to Mr Goff’s camping equipment.
He added: “Hebden Bridge has been badly hit. It’s because the ground saturates and pours down into the valley at great speed. A lot of shops have been damaged but the community have been mucking in and helping each other. Thankfully we didn’t suffer much damage. My neighbours and I have re-diverted a stream near a house which had gone off course.
“Everyone is just praying for some dry weather now. We just want a summer!”
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Weather for Burnley
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North west
