Torrential downpours wash mud and rubble onto road

Mud and rubble had to be cleared from a road in Chard after it had been swept from a footpath. Heavy rain hit the area and washed the mud onto Crimchard and partially blocked the route on Thursday (May 16).

Members of Chard Area Resilience Group and police officers gathered to sweep the mess from the road and help direct traffic outside the Blackdown Heights development. One resident said the mud and rubble “caused a very dangerous hazard”

She said: “When we had torrential downpours yesterday the water backed up terribly where they had blocked the steps and started to pool covering the footpath in water, until the inevitable happened and the whole lot cascaded out into the road.

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“There were huge pieces of stone and concrete and the mudslide caused a serious hazard on the road, and was only cleared up by local residents who took matters into their own hands with the police and three members of Chard Area Resilience Group.”

Serena Wootton of Chard Area Resilience Group was further down the road helping clear the road of flood damage and debris from another separate area. In response to the mess spilt onto the road, Barratt Homes explained they had closed the footpath with some rubble, but the rubble washed onto the road.

A spokesman for Barratt Homes said: “Following a request from Highways we closed the permissive path that is on Highways-owned land at the end of Crimchard. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather on Thursday, some mud and rubble then blew onto the road. However, this has since been cleared.”