'Easter Normality' For Flood-Hit Village

An Easter Sunday service will be the first in a Somerset village since floods hit the area in January.

Many of the homes in Moorland were evacuated in the middle of the night when its defences were eventually breached.

St Peter and St John Church in the village has not been able to welcome worshippers since it flooded, but Rev Jane Haslam said today's service will be a positive step towards normality.

"We haven't met here for worship since mid January because of the floods and the road closures and pumps coming in and out," she told Sky News.

"So it's felt like an awfully long time so this is a key symbolic moment, Easter Sunday, not just for us but for the whole community."

The village itself is testament to the misery and disruption caused by the record floods.

Many houses remain empty as they are being dried out before any repairs can begin.

The main street is still strewn with the debris of walls which were demolished to relieve the water levels, and skips stand outside almost every house.

Ron Westcott, a flood technician for Richford's Fire and Flood, said: "The majority of floods are flash floods.

"There might be several feet of water in a property but its usually gone within a few hours, or at most a few days, but is very unusual for a village to be underwater for three to four weeks."

Resident Amante Witherick, like many others, is expecting to be out of her home for months. She is concerned not enough is being done to prevent it all happening again.

"We've probably got 18 weeks before the water comes again, before we've got the rain, and all I've seen is a few dandelions being pulled out of the River Parrett," she ssaid.

"I know they're 'so called' dredging but you can't dredge in 18 weeks, not with the equipment they've got."

The Easter service is being held at 3pm at St Peter and St John Church.