Disabled Woman Trapped in Bedroom for Over Two Days Following Severe Flooding
A disabled woman from Blaby, Leicestershire, was left stranded in her bedroom for more than two days after heavy rainfall caused significant flooding at her home. Elizabeth Bowe, who lives with multiple sclerosis, relies on an electrically powered hoist to get out of bed, but the floodwaters cut off her electricity supply, rendering the device unusable.
Flooding Incident and Immediate Consequences
The flooding occurred between Friday, 27 February, and Saturday, 28 February, following rainfall that began the previous Thursday. Ms Bowe's patio and the foundations of her house were submerged under approximately six inches of water.
"The water went into the air bricks and flooded the foundations where the electric cables run under the floorboards," she explained. "So I had no electricity, I had no hoist. It wouldn't operate without electricity."
This left her confined to her bedroom throughout the entire weekend, with no safe means of accessing the toilet. She contacted the contractors managing her hoist, who provided batteries as a backup, but the situation remained dire.
Emergency Response and Ongoing Struggles
During the flooding, the fire brigade attended to assist Ms Bowe. They discovered an electricity supply in the loft, which allowed them to connect essential appliances like the fridge and freezer. However, this created another obstacle.
"Then I had the difficulty of getting out of the bedroom because we had a lot of extension leads around the house," Ms Bowe said. "Because of the wires, I couldn't get out of the bedroom because the wheelchair is heavy. So that's why I was stranded."
She praised the fire brigade for their help, stating they were excellent and very helpful in wiring everything up.
Blame Placed on Nearby Housing Developments
Ms Bowe, who has lived in her home for 17 years without previous flooding issues, fears that recent housing developments on previously open land are to blame. She highlighted two specific areas:
- The new Frost Court development, which replaced an open field that once absorbed water. She noted it now has 15 apartments with concrete car parks and weedy grass, likely with concrete underneath, leaving nowhere for water to go.
- The site of the former Tom Thumb pub, which had a large grass play area but now hosts at least 10 houses with block paving, further reducing drainage capacity.
"I've lived here 17 years and never had a problem," she emphasized. "I wouldn't have bought it if I knew it was a problem."
Political Response and Calls for Action
Blaby Ward Councillor Paul Hartshorn commented on the situation, linking it to broader national trends. "This kind of intense house building is happening all over the country," he said. "Too often, insufficient thought is given to where excessive rainfall water will go when we concrete over large areas of land. The rain doesn't disappear, it has to go somewhere."
He added that such water increasingly ends up in the homes of existing residents and has requested a review to prevent recurrence. The Local Democracy Reporting Service has reached out to Blaby District Council for a response on the matter.
The incident underscores critical issues of accessibility, urban planning, and environmental management, highlighting the real-world impacts of development decisions on vulnerable residents.
