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Caravan owners in shock after holiday homes ripped apart

Ian Jones standing on what's left of his caravan after floods swept it away from Ballater caravan park.  
Picture by KEVIN EMSLIE
Ian Jones standing on what's left of his caravan after floods swept it away from Ballater caravan park. Picture by KEVIN EMSLIE

The image of a caravan being swept down the River Dee went viral earlier this week, with news outlets all carrying it.

And this photograph shows the true extent of the damage to the homes, which bring scores of tourists to Ballater Caravan and Camping Park every year.

Scores of caravans were destroyed in the floods, with many left underwater and others swept away by the strong currents – scattering bathroom furniture, heaters and other household belongings along the way.

For Ian Jones, the sight of his £40,000 caravan split in two was enough to make him cry.

The holiday-maker said he felt “sick” when he discovered the damage, which was caused when his caravan was swept 1,300ft from the park and smashed into a house.

“I didn’t want to take my wife because she would be totally hysterical,” the 60-year-old from Aberdeen said.

“She would be crying like mad. I was crying this morning.

“What the sad thing about this is, is that the majority of the people on the site use the village.

“The village loves the caravan site being open.”

Mr Jones – who said holiday-makers used the local amenities, including the golf club bar – said the caravan owners were not insured for flood damage as the site is on a flood plain.

He admitted he feared for the future of the caravan park, and the village, adding: “If they don’t put vans back on the site because they’re not insured – folk are not going to spend the money – and if they’re not going to spend it then this [the park] is going to be absolutely finished.”

Mr Jones’s caravan was among the homes and car that swept against the side of Frances Edwards’s home in Dee Street.

The 61-year-old said: “The caravans were just bobbing around.

“The one by the house was slightly more concerning because it did actually hit the side of the house – thank God our house is a good, sturdy granite house.

“We were all fine, we moved stuff upstairs and we were all upstairs so we were fine.

“We were getting a bit hungry by the end of the day but we managed to walk out.”