Flooded four times in six years, villagers fear another wet winter

Residents of a Herefordshire village flooded four times in the past six years say they are anxious about the months ahead as forecasters warn of an increased likelihood of wetter-than-average conditions this autumn and winter.

Nearly a year after flood-water forced Kate Reed from her home in Ewyas Harold, she admits heavy rain still makes her nervous.

When Dulas Brook burst its banks during Storm Claudia in November 2025, a foot of water swept through her property.

The damage was so severe she spent three months living in an Airbnb while repairs were carried out.

"I've never thought of myself as being a really nervous person," she said. "But if it starts raining really hard, I start thinking: 'Oh God'.

"It definitely makes you anxious."

Reed is among residents hoping Ewyas Harold, near Hereford and the Welsh border, will benefit from new government investment in flood protection after the launch of a Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce.

The government has pledged £10.5bn towards protecting homes, businesses and infrastructure from flooding up to 2036, while the Environment Agency estimates 6.3 million homes and businesses in England are at risk.

The concerns come as the Met Office has warned there is an increased likelihood of wetter-than-average conditions this autumn and early winter.

Earlier this year, it estimated that, with current levels of global warming, winters as wet as those experienced in recent years have become far more common than in the past.

For Reed, the impact of last year's flooding remains all too visible.

Part of her garden wall was swept away after flood-water carried a tree downstream, while a fence bordering the brook had to be replaced.

Inside the house, the entire kitchen had to be removed and original Edwardian skirting boards were lost.

"It's taken until now really to have all of that done," she said.

New flood protection measures have since been installed, including a temporary earth bund and plans for a wall around part of the property.

"But should something happen before that wall's complete, we're hoping it might hold it off a little bit," she said.

Last November, Dulas Brook reached a record 2.9m (9.5ft), with flood-water surging through the centre of the village.

The Environment Agency said it was the highest level recorded since monitoring began.

Among those affected was village store and post office owner Bennie Krige, whose business and home were both flooded after water went over the top of existing defences.

"We have flood defences up to 800mm outside the shop and the water came over a metre outside, so it went over the top and entered the shop and house," he said.

Krige welcomed the creation of the government's new taskforce, but said businesses were still dealing with the aftermath of last year.

"The financial hit was significant and we still feel the effects of that," he said.

"We're very fortunate in that we have other businesses which were not affected by the flood and so we can carry that load a bit better.

"If this was a stand-alone business, it would almost certainly have closed after that flood."

The floods also changed the way local builders Dave and Rory Pitt work.

The father-and-son team have spent much of the past year installing flood defences around Ewyas Harold and neighbouring villages.

"It's huge because of what happened last November," Dave Pitt said of demand.

He estimated a flood barrier for an average household doorway costs about £1,000 to supply and install.

His son Rory said such measures could only do so much.

"I think in regards to inside your property, it helps massively, but it's still not going to help with travel, especially in this village," he said.

"My wife works at the local care home and staff can't always get to and from work.

"There was one time they had to go a different way and completely messed up their van and it was a write-off."

For residents still cleaning up and rebuilding almost a year after Storm Claudia, the prospect of another wet winter is an unsettling one.

As the government prepares for possible extreme weather, many in Ewyas Harold hope their village will not once again find itself under water.

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