An offshore worker whose parents were caught up in the devastating Royal Deeside floods was dealt another blow yesterday after his own house was wrecked.
Stuart Moffat, 45, was given compassionate leave to fly home after floods tore through the town of Ballater last Wednesday, wrecking his mum and dad’s home.
His parents Hugh, 81, and Anne, 71, had to evacuate after the River Dee burst its banks and sent a deluge of water through their property.
Mr Moffat spent his New Year helping clear their home of wreckage as the town tried to pick up the pieces following Storm Frank.
But yesterday, he ended up in the same devastating situation when the River Don reached record levels and flooded his home in Port Elphinstone, near Inverurie.
Mr Moffat said there was a brief moment of worry on Monday when a flood warning was put in place for residents near the River Don, which passes through the Inverurie area.
Luckily it passed for him without any serious consequences.
But yesterday, he was not so lucky as more than a week of constant rain caused the River Don to burst its banks, sending gallons of water through the streets.
He was forced to flee his home with wife Jennie, 43, and seven-year-old son Oscar as panic set in.
He said: “Around about 10pm I said to my wife, ‘we need to go’. My wife and son packed up a few items and went off to stay with friends who live on higher ground.
“When I left the house the water hadn’t breached the sandbags and under the floorboards was dry so I was quietly optimistic that we might be lucky.
“But the weather just continued and at high tide the River Don burst its banks and just cascaded.
“It’s horrendous.”