Flooded Riverside Inn launches appeal to help evacuated neighbours

Staff at the Riverside Inn in Acton Bridge have vowed to help residents who were evacuated in boats after flood water deluged their cottages.

More than £1,000 was raised hours a JustGiving page was opened.

Hope Morris, supervisor at the Riverside Inn, said: "The response has been amazing.Everyone is rallying round to help our neighbours.

"Northwich is such a generous community, we are gobsmacked."

Restaurant head chef Zoe Martin who lives in a flat above the restaurant was evacuated with her daughters Emmy, two, and Mia, five.

The Riverside Inn had a moat outside the restaurant

The Riverside Inn had a moat outside the restaurant

"The water was up to your waist. The row of 12 houses alongside were all evacuated. What they couldn't take on boats had to had to be left behind. It's so sad. Their homes meant everything to them.

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"We know a lot of our neighbours as they come in regularly for meals. We try to be a community pub as much as we can. It is important for us to do all we can to show how much we care for them."

Many of the residents are elderly, she said, and some use mobility scooters.

"We understand that some residents are staying in bed and breakfast and others are looking for houses to rent while their homes are repaired," said Hope.

"Whatever we raise will be shared among them. We hope it will help."

The flood caused extensive damage to the restaurant, swamping the cellar and leaving the kitchen and lounge waterlogged.

All the equipment in the kitchen was destroyed

All the equipment in the kitchen was destroyed

"All the equipment in the kitchen is lost," said Hope. "The bar is totally destroyed. All the food in the fridges and freezers is contaminated. Everything is ruined.The cellar was completely flooded, barrels and bottles everywhere.

"It was sad to go in and see it all.

"This is unprecedented. It has not flooded like this since the 1940s.

Flood water saturated all the carpets and destroyed the bar

Flood water saturated all the carpets and destroyed the bar

Marston's Brewery, which manages the restaurant, will be assessing the damage with insurance loss adjusters this week.

"We will bounce back," said Hope. "It will be nice to have a busy pub again. We miss seeing our regulars and customers. We are like one big family here, we are all really close.

"We will be bigger and better and totally refurbished."

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/riversidefloodvictims