30th September 2008
A 91-YEAR-OLD pensioner whose home has repeatedly been flooded will visit 10 Downing Street tomorrow to discuss her desperate need for defences with the Prime Minister.
Topsy Clinch, who has seen her home in Beck Isle, Pickering, flooded no less than five times in the past nine years, has been invited to join Gordon Brown for tea.
Last summer, in the week of her 90th birthday, Topsy’s cottage was swamped with 3ft of water in the devastating floods which hit Britain. Again, earlier this month she had little option, but to sit and watch as waters rose around her home when the rivers burst its bank.
A prolific campaigner against flooding, Mrs Clinch marked the anniversary of last summer’s floods which devastated homes and businesses to the tune of several millions of pounds, by setting up a ‘living room’ in the middle of the picturesque river which runs through the market town.
She was even part of a delegation which travelled to London in January to present a 4,500 strong petition, to the environment minister, Phil Woolas, urging money to be set aside for flood defences for the town.
Her staunch efforts to raise the profile of the devastating effects of what flooding can do to the families who have been hit by torrential rainfall has led to the invite from the Prime Minister.
Mrs Clinch said she felt hugely honoured to be invited. “I received the invite about three weeks ago and I was so excited to realise that I would be joining Mr Brown in London.
“At first I thought it was a joke when I saw the envelope with No 10 Downing Street written on it – then I saw the official stamp on the letterhead and I realised that it was real. I am really looking forward to it.”
Mrs Clinch said she would be more than happy to share her experiences about flooding with the Prime Minister. “It’s very frightening being flooded,” she said. “It is no joke at all. It is time the Environment Agency and the Government gave Pickering the flood defences we need. We have been saying this since 1998 when the flooding started. We want someone to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I will be happy to share my thoughts on this with Mr Brown.”