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| Living 'island life' on the Somerset Levels | Living 'island life' on the Somerset Levels |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| As military planners discuss what support is needed to help Somerset's flood-hit residents, those in Muchelney have been described as "at breaking point". | As military planners discuss what support is needed to help Somerset's flood-hit residents, those in Muchelney have been described as "at breaking point". |
| The village has been cut off for a month, time has slowed down and everything takes longer, but many residents say they have been coping well. | The village has been cut off for a month, time has slowed down and everything takes longer, but many residents say they have been coping well. |
| They have been grappling with island life, as the land that surrounds the stone farmhouses has been inundated with muddy water. | They have been grappling with island life, as the land that surrounds the stone farmhouses has been inundated with muddy water. |
| The journey to Muchelney, in a "humanitarian" boat from Langport, is surprisingly peaceful, and on arrival, the shore of "The Island" holds half a dozen residents, waiting to take the return journey. | The journey to Muchelney, in a "humanitarian" boat from Langport, is surprisingly peaceful, and on arrival, the shore of "The Island" holds half a dozen residents, waiting to take the return journey. |
| Any novelty about climbing on board has long worn off and even the children, making their way to school, admit it is now boring. | Any novelty about climbing on board has long worn off and even the children, making their way to school, admit it is now boring. |
| Emily Bradley, aged 10 and wrapped up in a thick woollen scarf, said "it was exciting, but now it's just really sad". | Emily Bradley, aged 10 and wrapped up in a thick woollen scarf, said "it was exciting, but now it's just really sad". |
| Up the road stands St Peter and St Paul's Church, where groceries and newspapers have been gathered for collection. | Up the road stands St Peter and St Paul's Church, where groceries and newspapers have been gathered for collection. |
| Charles Vaughan-Johnson, 79, who lives opposite, has popped in to check on things. | Charles Vaughan-Johnson, 79, who lives opposite, has popped in to check on things. |
| He "just got in before the water rose" on Boxing Day and has not driven out of the village since. | He "just got in before the water rose" on Boxing Day and has not driven out of the village since. |
| His is the problem of all Muchelney's residents - getting out. Each of the four roads that come into the village is flooded. | |
| "People are beginning to get very frustrated," he said. | "People are beginning to get very frustrated," he said. |
| It is not just the parish of Muchelney that has been affected. Some residents talk of "forgotten villages" because Muchelney, in a sense, is lucky. | It is not just the parish of Muchelney that has been affected. Some residents talk of "forgotten villages" because Muchelney, in a sense, is lucky. |
| Few homes here have actually been flooded. Instead, they are marooned on raised land. | Few homes here have actually been flooded. Instead, they are marooned on raised land. |
| 'Different mental state' | 'Different mental state' |
| Travelling to nearby Thorney has meant taking a tractor for the last month, though now Wessex 4x4 Recovery has also stepped in to help. | Travelling to nearby Thorney has meant taking a tractor for the last month, though now Wessex 4x4 Recovery has also stepped in to help. |
| Driving slowly through the water, Mike Stockholm keeps his Land Rover to the middle of the road and a close eye on markers left by the fire service on nearby telegraph posts. | Driving slowly through the water, Mike Stockholm keeps his Land Rover to the middle of the road and a close eye on markers left by the fire service on nearby telegraph posts. |
| "We're running for anyone really, just to make life a bit easier for people," he said. | "We're running for anyone really, just to make life a bit easier for people," he said. |
| One of Mike's pick-ups is Glen Ward, who has lived in Thorney for 20 years. | One of Mike's pick-ups is Glen Ward, who has lived in Thorney for 20 years. |
| Glen's house sits on the edge of the water line. Around it, debris lines the road - branches, grass, mud and a surprising number of rotten apples. | Glen's house sits on the edge of the water line. Around it, debris lines the road - branches, grass, mud and a surprising number of rotten apples. |
| He points out eight houses still engulfed by water. | He points out eight houses still engulfed by water. |
| "Initially, it is scrambling about trying to save your house, and when you can't, then you enter a different mental state," he said. | "Initially, it is scrambling about trying to save your house, and when you can't, then you enter a different mental state," he said. |
| "Where everyone is on foot and people can't hurry about anymore, you get chatting to people that normally you might just have nodded at. | "Where everyone is on foot and people can't hurry about anymore, you get chatting to people that normally you might just have nodded at. |
| "And people who haven't been flooded actually feel a bit guilty, but they have been so generous with their offers of help." | "And people who haven't been flooded actually feel a bit guilty, but they have been so generous with their offers of help." |
| Mr Ward does feel a frustration as he said when they first flooded, the Environment Agency did not even realise homes were under water. | Mr Ward does feel a frustration as he said when they first flooded, the Environment Agency did not even realise homes were under water. |
| He added that when an offer of a temporary toilet came after three weeks, when their own facilities were working again, it was hard to have faith in the authorities. | He added that when an offer of a temporary toilet came after three weeks, when their own facilities were working again, it was hard to have faith in the authorities. |
| "I know people mean well, but it's all been too little, too late." | "I know people mean well, but it's all been too little, too late." |
| 'Roller coaster of emotion' | 'Roller coaster of emotion' |
| Arriving back in Thorney, Carolyn Roche helps her three-year-old daughter Lilly out of one of the Wessex vehicles and jokes that she does not know "how I am going to make the trip to pre-school exciting in future", adding that when the 4x4 arrived that morning, Lilly had asked "where is the fire engine?". | Arriving back in Thorney, Carolyn Roche helps her three-year-old daughter Lilly out of one of the Wessex vehicles and jokes that she does not know "how I am going to make the trip to pre-school exciting in future", adding that when the 4x4 arrived that morning, Lilly had asked "where is the fire engine?". |
| Mrs Roche runs a holiday-let business with her husband and they have taken in four families that have had their homes completely flooded. | Mrs Roche runs a holiday-let business with her husband and they have taken in four families that have had their homes completely flooded. |
| "It really comes like a roller coaster of emotion - some days you are alright and other days you feel utterly desperate and depressed," she said. | "It really comes like a roller coaster of emotion - some days you are alright and other days you feel utterly desperate and depressed," she said. |
| "Life isn't normal. The boat stops at dusk, for safety reasons - as it should - but there are all these normal things that people can't do. | "Life isn't normal. The boat stops at dusk, for safety reasons - as it should - but there are all these normal things that people can't do. |
| "It does feel like you are under a curfew." | "It does feel like you are under a curfew." |
| In the other direction lies Muchelney Ham, where retired GP and "hobby farmer" Elizabeth Nightingale's house is under a foot of water. | In the other direction lies Muchelney Ham, where retired GP and "hobby farmer" Elizabeth Nightingale's house is under a foot of water. |
| She said her home had just been "sorted out" following last year's flooding when the water approached again in December. | She said her home had just been "sorted out" following last year's flooding when the water approached again in December. |
| Inside, the smell of damp is overwhelming, but sat at her large kitchen table, she remains calm as she describes the "devastation" that flooding brings. | Inside, the smell of damp is overwhelming, but sat at her large kitchen table, she remains calm as she describes the "devastation" that flooding brings. |
| "Until last year, I thought you brushed the water out and that was the end of it. | "Until last year, I thought you brushed the water out and that was the end of it. |
| "I had no idea that your house has to be completely stripped out - I don't think people realise the devastation goes on for months." | "I had no idea that your house has to be completely stripped out - I don't think people realise the devastation goes on for months." |
| The area is, as locals know, a flood plain and the Somerset Levels have always flooded. | The area is, as locals know, a flood plain and the Somerset Levels have always flooded. |
| Mrs Nightingale accepts that fact but says the flood plain should be "managed". | Mrs Nightingale accepts that fact but says the flood plain should be "managed". |
| "For those 'proper farmers', who have been here for years and whose livelihoods are at stake, it is absolutely horrendous. | "For those 'proper farmers', who have been here for years and whose livelihoods are at stake, it is absolutely horrendous. |
| "You can't just leave it to nature." | "You can't just leave it to nature." |
| It has been announced that local rivers will be dredged once water levels subside. | It has been announced that local rivers will be dredged once water levels subside. |
| The stranded residents worry that, as with last year, once the water is gone, they will be left alone again. | The stranded residents worry that, as with last year, once the water is gone, they will be left alone again. |
| In Thorney, Mrs Roche said "until we see dredgers on the sides of the rivers, the pressure needs to be kept up", while in Muchelney, Mr Vaughan-Johnson is less sceptical. | In Thorney, Mrs Roche said "until we see dredgers on the sides of the rivers, the pressure needs to be kept up", while in Muchelney, Mr Vaughan-Johnson is less sceptical. |
| "I think it will get attention and something will be done," he said. | "I think it will get attention and something will be done," he said. |
| "Whether that is enough is still an open question." | "Whether that is enough is still an open question." |