The boss of a Yorkshire agency that was flooded with seven feet of water over Christmas says he will “not be beaten”.
Benchmark Travel in Mytholmroyd, near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, was one of dozens of properties devastated by floodwater when the River Calder burst its banks on Boxing Day, following heavy rainfall.
Managing director Roger Benn went to the shop, which trades as The Travel Centre Mytholmroyd, early on December 26, when the Environment Agency app informed him the river level was rising fast.
Waist-deep in water, he moved equipment on to desks or upstairs.
At about 1pm, the front window caved in, taking the water level in the shop to seven feet.
“Three desks were washed out of the window,” said Benn. “The most frightening time was when I was on the landing and water started creeping up the stairs.
“By about 7pm, the water had receded, but the shop was decimated. I stayed all night to protect what was left, as looters were wandering the street.”
Benchmark does not own its premises. Its contents insurance will cover some of the items lost or damaged, which totalled about £10,000.
“We had to wait a day for the electricity and telephone sockets to dry out, but now we’re back to working in our overalls,” said Benn.
“We’ve been taking bookings as usual – we will not be beaten. The staff mucked in with the shop clear-up, as did the local community.
“People have flocked from all over the country to help homes and businesses affected by the floods, for which we will be eternally grateful.”
Elsewhere, SuperBreak opened an emergency call centre in Wakefield because its offices in York were left without power during the floods, while Amigo Travel, also based in York, was forced to close temporarily.