From floods to flowers

10:30am Friday 18th July 2008

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ST Mary’s Church at Marden will host a flower festival this weekend, with more than 30 floral displays to fill the building with colour.

A year ago the picture was very different. Days of heavy rain had caused the nearby River Lugg to break its banks. It breached a bund and flooded the church through vents on its northern side.

Church warden Dave Evans admits that as he stood on the raised floor of the nave in his Wellington boots, with more than 18 inches of water rushing past him, he did not hold out much hope for the future.

The church’s bell tower, which is at the lower end of the church, was under more than three feet of water, the vestry was all but destroyed and, as the water had flowed through a septic tank in the garden of the old vicarage, any loose items were thrown out to avoid contamination.

“A team of cleaners from the insurance company came within three days and electricians came and made the electrics safe soon after,” said Mr Evans.

“It took a lot of work from the church family and it was heartbreaking to throw everything out – we filled two skips. We were then left with an empty church and had to start again.

“We held the first church service at the end of August using temporary electrics and in September, we managed to host a wedding.

“Since then we have been rebuilding with flood resistance in mind, as well as having to replace all the items lost because of the flood water.”

The vestry has been re-plastered and re-carpeted while major electrical rewiring has taken place throughout the church.

“At the time I never thought we would get back in here but now everything is back to normal,”

added Mr Evans.

The flower festival starts today (Friday) and runs tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday (July 20).