FAMILIES in Victoria Road and Spenser Close in Alton were fighting to stop their homes being flooded after Monday’s monsoonesque rain turned their roads into rivers.

So angry was ward councillor Dean Phillips, the deputy mayor of Alton, he “kept his promise” and appeared in his Speedos and goggles on Spenser Close to show residents he was backing them in trying to get action to stop the flooding.

In Victoria Road, closed off because vehicles driving through the floodwater were sending bow waves onto the houses, one of the worst properties affected had water pouring through the front and back gardens and in under the floorboards.

The householder’s daughter, Megan, said: “All our rescue animals, rabbit and guinea pigs, in the back garden were swept away and we had to get to them and dry them off.”

Wading in her wellington boots she managed to sandbag the front and back doors. She also did the same for her neighbour, but it didn’t, she said, prevent the water getting in.

“I live with my parents and they have just spent £50,000 doing up the house, new carpets and paint and furniture, and the water is beginning to come in through the floorboards,” she said.

“This flooding has been happening for 22 years. There is a picture of me aged four standing in my boots in a flood by our house.

“The problem is there are three drains in this part of the road, all blocked up with rubble and builders’ materials, and the water can’t get down. I have tried to sweep it away from our house up the road but it is hopeless.

“On each occasion I have phoned Hampshire County Council as it is their job to repair these drains but this time I have also phoned the police and gone on social media to tell everyone what we are being subjected to.”

And Megan added: “We have also had to close the road as the cars and vans driving through the floodwater were sending it splashing over our upstairs windows. I can only hope we don’t get another deluge like the one we just had so the water will go away.”

Her neighbour, Jenny, was also standing outside her home anxiously watching the floodwater rise.

She said: “I have only lived here for 18 months and this is the second time this has happened. The kerb is very low on this side of the road so the water from the flooded road just comes into our front gardens.

“It is under my floorboards at the moment and I am terrified it will come up into the house. Also the cars racing by, the four by fours are worst and seem to think it is a joke, are sending water all over the front of the house.”

Also in the flood line was fellow resident Jonathan, who said the water had come up as high as his sitting room window in the front, “and has been flooding through an air brick”.

Mr Phillips said the flooding had happened several times before in his ward.

“I promised if nothing had been done and it happened again I would turn up in my Speedos and goggles to give them some comfort and to show I want action taken over this,” he said.

“The problem is inadequate drains because they are blocked with rubble and it needs Hampshire County Council to send workmen to come and unblock them.

“However, it could prove the drains are inadequate and need to be replaced. Something has to be done and I will be contacting the county’s highways department.”

He added: “We did have the same problem in Holybourne but we carried out repairs and we have fixed it and this is what we have to do in Alton.”

County councillor Andrew Joy said: “Hampshire County Council officers were quick to respond to issues of flooding in Victoria Road this week and had an inspection and jetting team in action throughout Tuesday. I understand that this had been partially effective but in the process deposits of concrete from an unknown source have been discovered and are being dealt with.

“It was also discovered that for some unknown reason the diameter of the downstream waste pipe work is reduced which when coupled with further blockages limits the capacity to drain road surface water.

“Residents have been kept informed of progress and I understand that a works order for further investigation as well as repair and reinstatement of some manhole covers has been raised.”

And, he added, the Spenser Close issues were also being investigated.

“It is worth pointing out that road drainage is designed and intended to manage water run off from our roads. Additional water volume from changing weather patterns is something for which engineering solutions will need to be found both for existing and newer housing. The added challenge of runoff from nearby fields is the responsibility of the landowners.”