The councils in Croydon and Tandridge, which covers flood-affected Whyteleafe, have issued warnings to home-owners to beware a bogus official operating in the area.
Around 60 firefighters were on duty in Kenley today, after an entire week’s efforts to pump flood water away from the local water treatment works
While council officials were distributing advice letters to flood-threatened houses in Kenley and Whyteleafe yesterday, they became aware that a man may have been impersonating their staff. It is widely assumed that this may be a ruse to gain access to people’s vulnerable homes.
Tandridge’s warning was issued this morning, while Croydon posted this message on its website this afternoon: “There is a bogus official in the area handing out leaflets. Staff from Croydon Council, Tandridge District Council, Surrey County Council, the Police and the Environment Agency all have ID – please ask to see it if anyone knocks on your door.”
Tonight marks a full week since the fire brigade has been on site at Kenley, pumping more than 5,000 gallons a minute away from the water treatment works after the council had declared the area a “Major Incident”. The water works supplies water to 47,000 properties.
Today, there have been eight fire engines and 60 firefighters at the scene, using three high volume pumps – half of all of these type of pumps in the London Fire Brigade. The fire service stated today that “The Brigade anticipates remaining on site over the next two days…. Dedicated support crews are working tirelessly to protect the waterworks from flooding.”
Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: “Firefighters have been working very hard throughout the last few days to pump water away from the facility and protect it from flooding. The waterworks supplies tens of thousands of homes in the area so our crews are working extremely hard to bring this incident to a quick and safe conclusion.”
But all that water needs to go somewhere.
Further down the A22 at Whyteleafe, the road has been impassable through flooding for more than a week
After creating the Purley Pond in a pedestrian underpass at Purley Cross at the weekend, on Tuesday night work began to create two more overflow ponds, in the playing field of a primary school and church car park. But water from the Caterham Bourne had managed to overflow so much that homes in Dale Road, at the Purley end of Godstone Road, had to be evacuated as their street quickly turned into a lake.
Following the evacuation of a care home on Tuesday, with its residents being accommodated at the council’s headquarters building in the town centre, attended by Red Cross emergency workers, on Wednesday the residents in two blocks of flats in Dale Road were asked if they wanted to leave their homes, while nine homes on Foxley Hill Road were evacuated today.
Some Dale Road residents have complained that their road had been “sacrificed” as another overflow pond for water pumped away from the treatment centre.
- Still no sighting of the local Tory MP, “Sir” Tricky Dicky Ottaway, on a visit to his constituents hit by the floods. He has claimed he was asked to stay away (that sounds reasonable; many in Croydon South want him as far away as possible) because, he said, he would be a “distraction”. A “distraction” on days earlier this week when the area was visited by the shy and retiring Eric Pickles and Boris Johnson. Really? And has no one considered how valuable Ottaway’s sailing experience could be in the emergency?
- To report rising groundwater levels or flooding, residents are asked to call the Environment Agency Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 600800 80 70 60. You can also sign up to the free groundwater Flood Alert/Warning service by calling Floodline on 0845 988 11880845 988 1188.
Coming to Croydon
- Croydon Arts Network meeting, Feb 15
- Chinese New Year children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 18
- This War! St Gertrude’s Theatre group, Feb 19-22
- Welsh myths children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Mr Pooter comes to Croydon, Feb 20-22
- Warm and Well event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 22
- Stop the Incinerator fund-raiser, Feb 24
- Fairtrade Film night, Antenna Cafe, Haynes Lane, Feb 27
- Fairtrade event, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 1
- Coulsdon and Purley Debating Society, Mar 3
- Patchwork and quilting workshop, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 3
- Fairtrade stall at Food Market, Haynes Lane, Mar 8
- Upper Norwood Library Book Club, Mar 15
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 20
- Croydon Half-marathon, Mar 30
If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com