Somerset flash flooding victims say they are struggling to recover

Residents and businesses say they are struggling after being hit by flash flooding last month.

Parts of Somerset experienced extremely heavy rainfall in May with some areas having more than two weeks' worth of rain in a few hours.

One place hit hard was the small village of North Cadbury near Yeovil.

Resident Caroline Wood said the damage caused by the rain means she and her family face being away from their home for six months.

As the local water courses burst their banks, the downstairs of the home was flooded.

The family managed to get their valuables upstairs, saving their photo albums and the things of sentimental value, but the repairs needed mean they will have to move out.

"For all of us it has been quite up and down," Ms Wood said.

"We all had our moments of being quite emotional and upset."

Ms Wood's neighbour Alice Conway runs her own catering company, Dorset Delights Catering.

Her kitchen was completely flooded, and the cost to her business has been severe.

"The loss of work was devastating, and devastating for those people we had to make that awkward phone call to and say we're really sorry, but there's nothing we can do - we have no kitchen," Ms Conway said.

Somerset councillor Sarah Dyke, lead member for Environment and Climate Change, said the council will investigate the flooding over the next few months.

"The flooding came from absolutely nowhere," she told BBC Points West.

"Our response teams were out almost immediately and we are still out there now."

The Environment Agency said the volume of water that affected the area that day was overwhelming.

Ms Dyke added that there will be council tax rebates for those displace from their homes for more than three nights.

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