Floods Arrive on the Queen's Doorstep

As the mighty Thames burst its banks this week, flood water began lapping at the Queen's Windsor doorstep and local residents fled their properties.

When the Royal Borough of Berkshire became swamped, terrified homeowners armed with sandbags and makeshift canoes evacuated their homes with startling speed as the filthy waters rose at an alarming rate.

With 5,000 residents, the normally sleepy commuter village of Datchet houses just three pubs and a church.  Situated just a few miles from Windsor Castle, the tiny hamlet is on the brink of disaster as raw sewage begins to seep through its streets.

The Daily Mail reports that upstream of Datchet, the sewage plant at Marlow and Cookham swamped by flood water last weekend, disgorged its contents into the Thames sparking public health concerns.

Local Parish Councillor, Ian Thompson is concerned "We've got contamination everywhere, it's disgusting".  At the sight of local youths rolling their trousers up and wading through the dirty water, Mr Thompson says he had a word with parents warning them to control their children, asking "Don't you know they're walking in raw sewage"?

As the Queen's own dairy farm in Windsor Great Park has been submerged by flood water, many servants' cottages on the Windsor estate are also at the mercy of the Thames.

Ironically, the village of Datchet had not been affected by flood since 1947.  Controversially following the construction of the Jubilee River in 2002 which was designed to prevent flooding the village has since been flooded three times in a decade.

If you are buying a property and are worried about the flood risk contact our property conveyancers on 0161 928 5558, or email our team of experts via fottavianelli@collings-solicitors.co.uk. and we will get back to you.

Collings Solicitors

Property Conveyancers

Cheshire & Manchester

Tel; 0161 928 5558