Kingsmead Road residents relive moment water flooded homes in Loudwater, High Wycombe

Shocked homeowners have described the torrent of water which flooded 12 properties as being like “a tsunami”, with many staying up through the night to clear the water from the inside of their houses.

Thames Water was able to stop the large leak at about 4am today, almost five hours after scared residents first noticed the wave coming towards the houses in Kingsmead Road, Loudwater.

Update: cleaning is currently underway in Kingsmead Road.

People who live in some of the worst affected properties in The Fennels have said at one point the water was about four feet high, and firefighters had to smash down garden gates to stop the water levels rising in back gardens.

Tom Goldsmith, who lives in The Fennels, said “It was like vicious water rapids coming down this road.

“At first I thought it was rain, but I looked out of the window and could see it wasn’t, there was mud all over the road.

“I then went back in and saw there was water coming in underneath our kitchen door so we had to then get all of the water mopped up.

Clean-up operation in Kingsmead Road, Loudwater - ARM Images.

“It was just like a river. Luckily, we were able to keep on top of the water coming into the kitchen. I would imagine that houses where people weren’t in will be in a bit of a state.

“We were chucking 20 plus buckets out of water out of our house by mopping it up.

“If you didn’t keep on top of it there would be problems.”

A large clean-up operation is currently underway in Loudwater and Thames Water have apologised to the residents who have been affected.

A section of the road near High Wycombe Rugby Club remains closed and Transport for Buckinghamshire say more than 70 sandbags were used to try and divert the water from houses.

Jane Hewitt added: “It was quite spectacular. The force was incredible, it was like the Grand Canyon, there were boulders and great big chunks getting brought down, it was so forceful it was pushing breezeblocks down the hill.”

Nathan Couch, who took pictures of flooded Kingsmead Road last night, described the water as being like a tsunami. 

The pipe is believed to have burst on a hill in the woods behind properties in Kingsmead Road.

The water then quickly came down Bridge Bank Close before flooding homes on the road below.

Clean-up operation in Kingsmead Road, Loudwater - ARM Images.

Bridge Bank Close resident Amelia Jones said: “It was just coming down the lane – fast and furious. We have seen rain come down here before from the woods, but nothing like we saw last night.”

She added: “I was just going to bed and I heard this bang and I was looking round the house, looked out of the window and saw this chap on the step.

“I opened the window and I said “are you alright?” and I asked if it was raining, as the noise was tremendous.

“He told me he was walking down from Flackwell Heath to Loudwater when he heard the noise of the water. He tried to outrun it and got onto our drive for safety.

“He was here for about half an hour, three quarters of an hour.”

Were you affected by the flooding last night? Get in touch by calling 01494 755089 or email andrew.colley@london.newsquest.co.uk