A trio of heroic Aberdeenshire plumbers rescued a couple in their 90s as flood waters reached their knees while they sat in their living room.
John Thomson said Robert and Christine Sime, 90 and 91, were “stoical” through their ordeal.
The 70-year-old, who owns J&W Thomson plumbing and heating engineers, was joined by Ed Mcleod and Brian Fowler in the rescue where they lifted the pair to their neighbour’s house on Kingsfield Road.
He added that community spirit was “alive and well” in the village with residents checking up on vulnerable neighbours throughout the night.
He said he went down to the house at about 9pm on Thursday.
“They rent a house from me so we were making sure to check up on them regularly,” he said.
“We went round at 9pm and it didn’t seem that it would be too bad.
“But half an hour later we found them up to their knees in water.
“It was unbelievable – although there was water everywhere it didn’t seem to phase them. They were totally stoical about it.
“Brian and Ed went in and lifted them above the water, I couldn’t do the lifting at my age but I helped with the doors.
“They are recovering now and I think it’s just beginning to hit them how bad the damage is.
“There has been bad flooding before but I’ve never seen it this severe.”
Mr Fowler, 45, said: “It’s a great community here, everyone knows the neighbours and everyone pitches up and tries to help.
“It’s a good job too. I shudder to think what could have happened to them if we weren’t checking up on them.”
Resident Mary Simpson, 70, added: “This happens every few years but this year it’s higher than I’ve ever seen it.
“Hopefully that’s us seen the last of it.”
Meanwhile a Kintore farmer found 100 of his 120 acres were underwater.
But Sandy Henderson, 50, was looking on the bright side yesterday.
He said: “These things happen. You just have to get on with it.”