Post by julie on Jul 23, 2007 9:19:19 GMT
I took my daughter and pony in elderly lorry on Friday down to Badminton to do PC dressage. We left home at 7.10 am. I finally got back on Saturday at 12 noon.
I live in Leigh Sinton, not far from Three Counties Showground. I have never, ever seen such water - and often not where you would expect it. I have not driven a lorry for lond and I was terrified for child and pony - all I could do was think of getting home. I tried route after route - I had made it within 15 miles of home and the water rose every single minute. I was one of the last to get over the bridge at Tewkesbury - but the next flood by the M5/A38 roundabout (the Twynning one) finally defeated me. It was over 6ft deep, Landrovers as well as small cars abandoned. I turned round and remembered the sign for Twynning and thought of Mandy Nevin. I don't know Mandy terribly well but have sent the odd pony for schooling to her so off we went. We got into Twynning and the road was a river torrent some three feet (and rising deep) - you had to see the flow to believe it. I didnt have my diary with me but managed to get her mobile no from the post office and rang her.
Although she had had to bring everything she had at home in for safety, she turned up 5 mins later in her small car ( I mean it wasnt a 4 x 4) with the news she had found me a B and B as well as a stable....
Within 30 mins, pony was bedded down with water and haynet, I was with my daughter being lent spare clothes, with the guarantee of food and bed for the night.
I finally managed to get hold of my husband (phone was only doing SOS), at least he knew we were safe - he had gone to Gloucester for the day and it eventually took him 5 1/2 hrs to get home (a journey that normally takes 50 mins) - he even had to drive through a hotel carpark and link road to a golf course to do it!
On the Saturday, armed with a whole pile of info off internet and driving our incredibly old Frontera 4 x 4 he turned up to drive us home - through Upton on Severn - we made it home by the skin of our teeth as minutes later Upton was closed in all directions.
So, one car stranded in Twynning, my debit card too! but we are home...
A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MANDY NEVIN AND HER FRIEND BERNIE - Thank God there are people you can ring, even if you dont know them well, who are true Samaritans.
To anyone who is flooded, or is suffering, let's pray the rain stops soon....though as I type its raining here again.
Good luck! (PS if you are wondering why this adventure started in the first place...we were a team of three for our Pony Club....cant let the team down etc....!!!!!!!!)
I live in Leigh Sinton, not far from Three Counties Showground. I have never, ever seen such water - and often not where you would expect it. I have not driven a lorry for lond and I was terrified for child and pony - all I could do was think of getting home. I tried route after route - I had made it within 15 miles of home and the water rose every single minute. I was one of the last to get over the bridge at Tewkesbury - but the next flood by the M5/A38 roundabout (the Twynning one) finally defeated me. It was over 6ft deep, Landrovers as well as small cars abandoned. I turned round and remembered the sign for Twynning and thought of Mandy Nevin. I don't know Mandy terribly well but have sent the odd pony for schooling to her so off we went. We got into Twynning and the road was a river torrent some three feet (and rising deep) - you had to see the flow to believe it. I didnt have my diary with me but managed to get her mobile no from the post office and rang her.
Although she had had to bring everything she had at home in for safety, she turned up 5 mins later in her small car ( I mean it wasnt a 4 x 4) with the news she had found me a B and B as well as a stable....
Within 30 mins, pony was bedded down with water and haynet, I was with my daughter being lent spare clothes, with the guarantee of food and bed for the night.
I finally managed to get hold of my husband (phone was only doing SOS), at least he knew we were safe - he had gone to Gloucester for the day and it eventually took him 5 1/2 hrs to get home (a journey that normally takes 50 mins) - he even had to drive through a hotel carpark and link road to a golf course to do it!
On the Saturday, armed with a whole pile of info off internet and driving our incredibly old Frontera 4 x 4 he turned up to drive us home - through Upton on Severn - we made it home by the skin of our teeth as minutes later Upton was closed in all directions.
So, one car stranded in Twynning, my debit card too! but we are home...
A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MANDY NEVIN AND HER FRIEND BERNIE - Thank God there are people you can ring, even if you dont know them well, who are true Samaritans.
To anyone who is flooded, or is suffering, let's pray the rain stops soon....though as I type its raining here again.
Good luck! (PS if you are wondering why this adventure started in the first place...we were a team of three for our Pony Club....cant let the team down etc....!!!!!!!!)