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Aberlour volunteers devastated after dirty ‘sludge’ smothers Speyside Visitor Centre in flash flooding

Torrential rain poured into the visitor facilities after submerging roads across the village.

Pamela Winchester of the Aberlour Community Association and Ben Hinnie of the Aberlour Visitor Centre in the badly damaged tearooms. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson
Pamela Winchester of the Aberlour Community Association and Ben Hinnie of the Aberlour Visitor Centre in the badly damaged tearooms. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Community volunteers in Aberlour have been devastated after flash flooding from torrential rain left facilities underwater.

The Speyside Visitor Centre, Station Tea Room and public toilets in the village have been smothered with “sludge” after the extreme weather yesterday.

Local volunteers braved the rain while attempting to clear debris from drains in a valiant attempt to protect the cherished buildings near the River Spey.

However, despite their best efforts using brushes and mops, they were unable to stop dirty water pouring inside the attractions, which were already open for the busy summer season.

Water surrounded the Speyside Visitor Centre. Image: Aberlour Community Association

Aberlour Community Association has now issued warnings the buildings will remain closed due to the flooding until an extensive, and potentially expensive, clear-up is completed.

What is the impact of Aberlour flooding?

Aberlour was hit with a torrential rain shower at about 5pm on Wednesday, which lasted about 40 minutes and resulted in water pouring down the hill overlooking the village.

Rainwater then submerged parts of the High Street before continuing downhill towards the River Spey, but not before deluging the visitor facilities in Alice Littler Park.

Elsewhere in the village, residents faced torrents of water pouring through their gardens and outside their front doors.

Water poured through streets in Aberlour during the deluge. Image: Aberlour Community Association

Pamela Winchester, chairwoman of Aberlour Community Association, said: “When we finally got access to the buildings all the sludge, dirty water and goodness knows what else had got inside.

“It was so bad at one point that all the wheelie bins outside were actually floating about outside.”

She added: “We’re going to have to get professional cleaners in, it’s just so dirty. We’re absolutely devastated.”

Praise for Aberlour volunteers

Local fire crews helped volunteers by attempting to clear drains and pump the water out from the area surrounding the buildings.

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms was in force at the time as well as a flood warning.

Residents begin the cleanup following floods in Aberlour. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson.

Mrs Winchester praised the efforts of residents who volunteered to help protect the Speyside Visitor Centre and Station Tea Room by clearing branches and rubble to unblock drains.

Speyside Glenlivet councillor Derek Ross, who also praised the effort of volunteers, said Moray Council workers have attended today to help with the clear-up.

He added: “It’s lucky nobody was injured because it’s a real mess. In the long-term, we really need to do something about these flooding events because they’re happening more often.”

Aberlour Parish Church escaped the worst of the flooding. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Should more help have been provided?

During the worst of the flooding, Mrs Winchester called both Moray Council and Scottish Water to plead for help fighting the water.

However, she was left frustrated when both agencies told her she should speak to the other for assistance.

She added: “I actually gave up in the end because we weren’t getting any help from any of them. It was very frustrating.”

A Scottish Water spokesman said: “This kind of weather event can unfortunately rapidly exceed the capacity of all urban drainage systems – both natural and man-made – causing flash-flooding until the storm passes.

Fire crews helped pump flood water away from the Speyside Visitor Centre. Image: Aberlour Community Association.

“Scottish Water is responsible for the operation of the public sewer network and seeks to offer assistance with cleaning up where customers are affected by flooding from the sewer.

“In this case, we understood from the customer report that the flooding was caused primarily by significant overland flows of rainwater at the height of the storm.”

A council spokeswoman said: “Moray Council was made aware of flash flooding issues on Aberlour High Street at 6.40pm.

“As this is the A95 trunk road and maintained by Amey the caller was advised to contact Amey and Scottish Water, if there were also sewer concerns.

“If Moray Council had been made aware of issues on the surrounding side streets, which are our responsibility, we would have been able to deploy appropriate resources if necessary.

“Officers were on site throughout Thursday morning to clear up after the flash flood incident.”

 

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