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| Neighbour warned of landslip risk before fatal incident, inquest told Neighbour warned of landslip risk before fatal incident, inquest told | |
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| A neighbour of a woman who died when her home was destroyed by a landslide had warned the local authority about the risk of erosion years before the fatal incident, an inquest has heard. | A neighbour of a woman who died when her home was destroyed by a landslide had warned the local authority about the risk of erosion years before the fatal incident, an inquest has heard. |
| Susan Norman, 68, was killed when her ground-floor flat was destroyed by tonnes of mud and rubble that fell from a cliff behind her rented property in Looe, Cornwall, in the early hours of 22 March 2013. | Susan Norman, 68, was killed when her ground-floor flat was destroyed by tonnes of mud and rubble that fell from a cliff behind her rented property in Looe, Cornwall, in the early hours of 22 March 2013. |
| Tim Topham, who lived two doors from Norman in Sandplace Road, told the inquest that several landslips had happened in the area since 2006 and he had alerted Cornwall council. | Tim Topham, who lived two doors from Norman in Sandplace Road, told the inquest that several landslips had happened in the area since 2006 and he had alerted Cornwall council. |
| He said during heavy rain water would run down the steep St Martin’s Road above his property and cascade over the cliff face into his garden because of a lack of kerbing on the road and blocked drains. | He said during heavy rain water would run down the steep St Martin’s Road above his property and cascade over the cliff face into his garden because of a lack of kerbing on the road and blocked drains. |
| “I warned the council we had problems with erosion because I could see it on a daily basis, seeing the subtle changes,” Topham said. “In 2006, liquid mud adjacent to our property came down to our patio and steps. It moved our garden shed 4ft or 5ft and came within a foot of falling on to Sandplace Road.” | “I warned the council we had problems with erosion because I could see it on a daily basis, seeing the subtle changes,” Topham said. “In 2006, liquid mud adjacent to our property came down to our patio and steps. It moved our garden shed 4ft or 5ft and came within a foot of falling on to Sandplace Road.” |
| Topham said he wrote to the council highlighting problems with the overflowing rainwater in 2005 but he claimed he was ignored. | Topham said he wrote to the council highlighting problems with the overflowing rainwater in 2005 but he claimed he was ignored. |
| In February 2006, a mud slip caused damage to his home and the council paid him £2,176 compensation. | In February 2006, a mud slip caused damage to his home and the council paid him £2,176 compensation. |
| “Eventually they did put the kerbing in but only after they paid me for the damage caused to my property,” he told Cornwall coroner’s court. “They could have saved themselves £2,000 if they had dealt with it after I first raised it.” | “Eventually they did put the kerbing in but only after they paid me for the damage caused to my property,” he told Cornwall coroner’s court. “They could have saved themselves £2,000 if they had dealt with it after I first raised it.” |
| Topham accepted that in subsequent correspondence with the council between 2006 and 2012 he had not mentioned overflowing water being a problem. But he had raised concerns about the stability of trees on the cliff face above his home and he told jurors the local authority had surveyed the trees but did not carry out any felling. | Topham accepted that in subsequent correspondence with the council between 2006 and 2012 he had not mentioned overflowing water being a problem. But he had raised concerns about the stability of trees on the cliff face above his home and he told jurors the local authority had surveyed the trees but did not carry out any felling. |
| The court heard that in October 2012 there was a small landslip further down Sandplace Road, and the following month another happened next to Topham’s boundary. | The court heard that in October 2012 there was a small landslip further down Sandplace Road, and the following month another happened next to Topham’s boundary. |
| He wrote to Cornwall council in December 2012 with his concerns about what he perceived to be the lack of a long-term plan to deal with the instability of St Martin’s Road and the cliff face. | He wrote to Cornwall council in December 2012 with his concerns about what he perceived to be the lack of a long-term plan to deal with the instability of St Martin’s Road and the cliff face. |
| Explaining his motives for writing the letter, Topham told the court: “I think it was an accumulation over several years of not really being satisfied with what was being done.” | Explaining his motives for writing the letter, Topham told the court: “I think it was an accumulation over several years of not really being satisfied with what was being done.” |
| He said he received a reply within a couple of weeks from the council saying the first phase of works was being carried out by specialist contractors to address the recent landslips, including repairing cracks in Sandplace Road. | He said he received a reply within a couple of weeks from the council saying the first phase of works was being carried out by specialist contractors to address the recent landslips, including repairing cracks in Sandplace Road. |
| The inquest heard previously that Norman would have died almost instantly from crush injuries when her home was destroyed. The mother of three was wearing pyjamas and was most likely watching television when she was killed. | The inquest heard previously that Norman would have died almost instantly from crush injuries when her home was destroyed. The mother of three was wearing pyjamas and was most likely watching television when she was killed. |
| In the days before the incident builders had been carrying out repairs to a retaining wall behind Norman’s home after it was reported to be bulging and described as looking like a pregnant woman. | In the days before the incident builders had been carrying out repairs to a retaining wall behind Norman’s home after it was reported to be bulging and described as looking like a pregnant woman. |
| The inquest, which is being heard before a jury, will have to consider whether water flow in the area had increased in the year before Norman’s death because of a Barrett Homes development nearby and what the developer and Cornwall council had done about it. | The inquest, which is being heard before a jury, will have to consider whether water flow in the area had increased in the year before Norman’s death because of a Barrett Homes development nearby and what the developer and Cornwall council had done about it. |