Tilshead residents fear second 'impassable' flood

Residents in part of Wiltshire said they fear another flood was likely after they were hit by rain last week.

The government issued a flood warning on Monday with the groundwater level in the area expected to rise steadily over the next week.

Tilshead, on Salisbury Plain, flooded on Thursday for the first time in several years which left the village temporarily cut off to traffic.

Resident Victoria Burbidge said the A360 had been "impassable."

"The water came in underneath the door and through the edges of the walls," she told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

"The recent flood water came from surrounding fields and has left the village covered in a layer of mud. It was entirely unexpected.

"We've had residents who've been here for 47 years who've said at no point have we ever had flooding like this in the village."

Ms Burbidge said the flooding was not only in Tilshead but up towards Salisbury as well.

Resident Barbara Leatham, who runs the Tilshead Community Group on Facebook, said the flooding was "like a river".

"It was so surreal," she said.

"It literally came off the Chitterne Road, hit the junction and then you could see it coming past the garage and then it flew down the main road.

"It flooded some of the houses at one end of the village.

"When I caught up with them a couple of days later, they were still cleaning up their homes."

The government urged residents to use measures such as pumps, flood barriers and air brick covers to protect their homes in case of a flood.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.