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| Storm Bert: Wrexham family left with scars after landslide | Storm Bert: Wrexham family left with scars after landslide |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The family had to smash windows to save the children trapped inside | The family had to smash windows to save the children trapped inside |
| Emyr Owens and his family were doing jobs around the house when his daughter heard an unfamiliar sound. | Emyr Owens and his family were doing jobs around the house when his daughter heard an unfamiliar sound. |
| Within minutes there was six foot (1.8m) of water outside their family home in Wrexham, 15 trees had fallen and his son's car had been swept down the lane. | Within minutes there was six foot (1.8m) of water outside their family home in Wrexham, 15 trees had fallen and his son's car had been swept down the lane. |
| Like hundreds of others across the country, Mr Owens and his son's homes were badly damaged by Storm Bert in November 2024. | Like hundreds of others across the country, Mr Owens and his son's homes were badly damaged by Storm Bert in November 2024. |
| Three months on he said his family were lucky to be alive but were still living with the scars of such a "horrendous" event. | Three months on he said his family were lucky to be alive but were still living with the scars of such a "horrendous" event. |
| Mr Owen's son said a tree came through the stone walls of his home | Mr Owen's son said a tree came through the stone walls of his home |
| "It could have been an absolute disaster," said Mr Owens, from Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Wrexham. | "It could have been an absolute disaster," said Mr Owens, from Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Wrexham. |
| On the morning Storm Bert battered the country, Mr Owens and his adult children, as well as his six grandchildren, were moving furniture. | On the morning Storm Bert battered the country, Mr Owens and his adult children, as well as his six grandchildren, were moving furniture. |
| The storm triggered a landslide on Mr Owens' doorstep, leaving destruction in its wake. | The storm triggered a landslide on Mr Owens' doorstep, leaving destruction in its wake. |
| "It was horrendous. At its worse it was six foot deep and it smashed all the doors where the cattle were," he said. | "It was horrendous. At its worse it was six foot deep and it smashed all the doors where the cattle were," he said. |
| A total of 15 trees fell, with one tree slicing through the stone walls of Mr Owens' son's house next door. | A total of 15 trees fell, with one tree slicing through the stone walls of Mr Owens' son's house next door. |
| "We are lucky that it happened at 2pm and not 2am or it could have been a total disaster," Mr Owen said. | "We are lucky that it happened at 2pm and not 2am or it could have been a total disaster," Mr Owen said. |
| The family could not hide their emotions after the devastation caused by the landslide in November | The family could not hide their emotions after the devastation caused by the landslide in November |
| Three months on Mr Owens said Storm Bert had mentally impacted the family, particularly his six grandchildren. | Three months on Mr Owens said Storm Bert had mentally impacted the family, particularly his six grandchildren. |
| "You are always thinking about it," he said. "People are always asking how are things... but it brings back things - it's been a very stressful time." | |
| While Mr Owens has had support from his "fantastic neighbours and community", he said questions still remained about the preparation and reaction of authorities to the storm. | |
| "We haven't even had a phone call - we have had nothing," he said. | |
| "You'd think they would have come out and at least have a look at the situation. | |
| "At the end of the day they are partially responsible for it." | "At the end of the day they are partially responsible for it." |
| The landslide destroyed the windows and doors of the Owens family home | The landslide destroyed the windows and doors of the Owens family home |
| Mr Owens said he was frustrated he cannot dredge the river, saying "common sense" needed to prevail. | Mr Owens said he was frustrated he cannot dredge the river, saying "common sense" needed to prevail. |
| "They say we will put a fence there and plant trees," he said. "They're going to extreme costs for no reason." | "They say we will put a fence there and plant trees," he said. "They're going to extreme costs for no reason." |
| More than 300 tonnes of silt was swept into the yard of the farm | |
| Lyndsey Rawlinson, head of operations for north east Wales at Natural Resources Wales, said: "All of our flood risk management activities must be prioritised and justified technically, environmentally, and economically. | Lyndsey Rawlinson, head of operations for north east Wales at Natural Resources Wales, said: "All of our flood risk management activities must be prioritised and justified technically, environmentally, and economically. |
| "Dredging and de-shoaling can be more effective in some locations than in others. | "Dredging and de-shoaling can be more effective in some locations than in others. |
| "We make decisions on how best to manage increased flood risk on a site-specific basis, using specialist knowledge and evidence of how each river might respond to sediment removal." | "We make decisions on how best to manage increased flood risk on a site-specific basis, using specialist knowledge and evidence of how each river might respond to sediment removal." |
| Ms Rawlinson added Natural Resources Wales had "permissive powers" to carry out flood risk maintenance work on main rivers, rather than legal duties. | Ms Rawlinson added Natural Resources Wales had "permissive powers" to carry out flood risk maintenance work on main rivers, rather than legal duties. |