Maryhill gym deluged by flood water hails community response

A gym deluged by flash-flooding is praising the Maryhill community for helping them start the clean-up.

A team of volunteers worked to clear more than 600 litres of water from New Life Gym after overflowing drains hit the building on Sunday night.

Speaking to Radio Clyde News, gym director David Galbraith described the scene of devastation he returned to.

He said: "My friend and coach Jamie had opened up the door, looked at me and said: 'It's a riot in there'. I didn't know what that meant until I walked in and I saw the water - which was up to my ankles - and the mats were floating.

"Right away, I went upstairs to the gym's offices to see what the damage was up there. It had been flooded as well, the roof had been damaged and the carpets - which are new, we just put them in - were completely ruined.

"We could see a disaster had hit us and we were absolutely devastated, pretty crushed at that point. We knew there and then that some people just don't come back from this."

David made a plan of action and began to start the clear up, putting a post on his Facebook to update people as to what had happened.

He said: "I was gutted about the situation but I managed to keep quite a level head. I knew we'd pull through it and I knew how many people would be willing to pull together for us.

"I just had my head down, I was pumping out the water, and just because I was focused on what i was doing I didn't notice all the people who'd come in. I looked up and they were all there: kids, local businesses, people from other gyms, clients, family, people I've not seen in years.

"I couldn't believe it. I was emotional, I started crying and had to walk away from it because I didn't know how to deal with that. I was overwhelmed by it."

David admits the repairs to the gym will take a long time, but he's confident they'll pull through - thanks to the efforts of local people.

He said: "We're a community in here. They came out to help us when he moved in, and if anything happens people are invested in it. We're family.

"This is just the start though, it's a mammoth task ahead of us. We need to fix the roof, we need to replace all the carpets, we need to stop the water coming through - and there's things we can't even see here which we'll need address.

"People have been amazing and we're so grateful for it."