One Year Since Humber Tidal Surge

It's exactly a year since Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire was hit by the worst tidal surge in 60 years.

More than a thousand homes and businesses across the region were flooded on December 5, 2013. Many were left in up to 5ft of water when the Humber burst its banks, causing millions of pounds worth of damage.

The Whittington and Cat pub on Hull's Commercial Road suffered around £100,000 worth of flood damage and was closed for six months. Landlady, Sue Perkins, told Viking FM:

"I just couldn't believe the Humber could come over and do such damage. As a business it was devastating and we were closed for six months and only reopened in May. All the businesses down here were affected."

"I received calls from my staff to say the pub was flooded and I thought they were just over exaggerating until I saw the pictures. I couldn't get down here because the whole area had been closed off. It just shocks you; everything in the cellar like the pumps and the whole bar had to be condemned and replaced. It's just horrific when you think how much damage water can actually do."

"I was lucky because I run another pub but if The Whittington and Cat was my only business and sole income, I think it would have sent me under as I just wouldn't have been able to cope financially."

People across the whole region were affected by the Humber tidal Surge.

We spoke to Dave Mouncey from South Ferriby whose house was completely destroyed and has only recently returned to his home.

He says:

"It was completely wiped out, the kitchen had around 5ft of water and I was stuck in the kitchen for around ten minutes as I couldn't open the door. I remember looking out of the window and seeing my son stood in the street ankle-deep in water. In the field at the back of my house there were 38 sheep, they'd gone into the shed and trampled on each other, 30 survived."

"It's very difficult at times, very difficult. One of the things I will say is that it's definitely brought the community together, some families have moved out and won't come back to the village."

"I moved back in September time and you don't really realise what you've lost until you need it. You think oh where's that and then realise it was lost in the floods. I don't think anyone was prepared for what was going to happen, all we got was a warning from the Environment Agency flood line and it was only through a friend ringing me up saying they'd had some damage in the surge that I came home and decided to sand bag the house. You don't realise the power of it until things start to go wrong and knowing what I know now, I should never have come into the house that night."

Well one year on, we're still waiting to hear exactly what's being done to better protect our area.

Although news this week that £80m is being invested to improve flood defences along the Humber Estuary has been welcomed.