Torrential rain in south Norfolk left homes and businesses badly flooded last weekend.
Fire crews worked into the night on Sunday, pumping water from buildings and helping cars stranded in floods following what some residents described as the worst downpours they had ever seen.
On Saturday afternoon, there was flash flooding in Harl
eston, which covered the recreation ground and led to the closure of the town’s leisure centre.
Ian Broughton, of Redenhall with Harleston Town Council, which runs the building, said: “There is tens of thousands of pounds of damage. The water has damaged electrical equipment, the carpet and means the gym equipment will need to be checked. We expect the leisure centre to be closed for at least another week.”
The worst of the flooding on Sunday was in Old Buckenham and New Buckenham.
Nine fire crews were sent to help residents between about 5.30pm and midnight.
Clive Rush, owner of Mill House Garage in New Buckenham, had a foot of water in his workshop.
He said: “The fire crews were brilliant – I don’t know what we would have done without them.”
He said about seven or eight homes in the village had been flooded, some so badly that water was “running in one door and out of the other”.
“Having my business flooded was absolutely devastating but I feel for those people whose homes were affected,” said Mr Rush.
Four people were rescued from a car, which became stranded in flood water on Sunday night.
Firefighters from Attleborough spent 20 minutes helping the passengers of the people carrier that was stuck in Doe Lane, Old Buckenham, at about midnight.
Norfolk Fire Service spokesman Martin Barsby said: “Sunday afternoon was an extremely busy period for us and a very difficult and testing time for many people in south Norfolk.
“Flash flooding is always a difficult challenge as there is often nowhere we can pump the flood water to and sometimes we can only offer advice."
