Maud Williams has lived in fear of flooding every time there is a heavy downpour for the past 56 years.

Her home in Coldnailhurst Avenue, Braintree, has flooded so many times she's lost count.

On Wednesday fire crews helped to bail her out when heavy rain threatened to flood her downstairs rooms.

The 81-year-old was up at 2am trying to hold back the storm water from her front door. Her 61-year-old daughter, Ann Root, who lives next door, rushed to help. They struggled with bowls, buckets and anything they could lay their hands on to stop the water.

The water was about 1ft deep around the house, the front porch flooded and water seeped into the kitchen. Mrs Williams had new carpets fitted last Friday following a flood six weeks ago when most of the downstairs was under three inches of water.

"It's getting beyond a joke now," she said.

"I have lived here for 56 years and I always get flooded when there is a bad storm. It winds me up and I am on edge every time it rains," she added.

Water runs off the road into the layby opposite her home which then overflows gushing down her front path.

Mrs Root said: "Her house looks like a little island sometimes. Usually it's only my mum's house affected because her path is lower than everyone else's.

"We keep asking if something can be done but nothing much happens. They put some more sandbags down but it is like fighting a losing battle."

A council spokeswoman said a drainage officer had been out to inspect the property and would be looking at ways of trying to protect it.

Published Friday August 20, 2004

Brought to you by the Essex Chronicle