Angry mum: 'The Rye's a nightmare as soon as we get rain' (From Bucks Free Press)

Angry mum: 'The Rye's a nightmare as soon as we get rain'

9:07am Friday 9th November 2012 in News

The Rye last weekend

AN angry mum believes a council is ruining The Rye after heavy rainfall left areas including paths and the playground flooded.

Marie Phillips says The Rye, which has a Green Flag award, transforms from a park to be proud of to a parent’s nightmare when the rain comes down.

The 34-year-old, who regularly takes her two-year-old son there to play, believes Wycombe District Council needs to do more to ensure its jewel in the crown is usable all year round.

She said: “As soon as we get any rain, it’s a nightmare. The park floods all around the children’s playground, and across the paths you use to get there.

“This time the playground itself got flooded too. You see mums battling to push their pushchairs through the mud to get there.

“The park is supposed to be there to encourage healthy living, but for lots of people it’s actually quite hard to use as soon as there’s a bit of rain.”

WDC said The Rye is a designated floodzone and the area by the playground was selected by the Environment Agency to hold excess water that drains away from the centre of the land that houses a raft of new football pitches.

Cllr Katrina Wood, Cabinet member for Community, said: “The river rising and heavy rain both contribute to the standing water by the play area.

“The ground in front of the changing room buildings is also a flood relief area and fills with water very quickly during times of flash flooding.

“Excess water exits The Rye via the flood relief grill near Bassetsbury Manor and this grill was checked on Monday to ensure it was free of obstruction.

“The flooding and drainage issues are not as a result of the new football pitches. The ground next to the play area is a designated flood zone, and is expected to hold the excess water when necessary.

“There are no plans to do any work to prevent the flooding, but WDC will continue to monitor the flood grill to ensure it remains clear.”

But Mrs Phillips believes the floodzone should be re-evaluated as, while the drainage system may help the district’s footballers, it is preventing young families from being able to enjoy The Rye.

She said: “It actually disadvantages the children and I don’t think that’s acceptable just for the football pitches. It’s such a shame because it’s a really nice park we have here, and this flooding really spoils it.”