A father who spent 11 years developing his business from scratch has said it is “heartbreaking” to see the damage caused by recent flooding.
David Walters, 51, worked as a “one man band” to develop Cresslands Touring Park, which is in South Lincolnshire, from nothing, over 11 years.
On Wednesday, flood water left everything “drenched”, before receding and breaking the cap off a borehole, which supplies water to the whole caravan site and Mr Walters’ home nearby.
“It flooded a couple of Christmases ago. Historically the river (near the site) has never been above 1.5 metres, but I had this horrendous feeling the night before because of the saturation and the atrocious weather we’ve had through December and into January,” Mr Walters told the PA news agency.
“As you’re seeing water rising in such a rapid way heading towards you, you’re almost weirdly paralysed.
“I was just staring at certain elements of my garden, for example, and just watching it creep up and just praying and hoping it didn’t hit my home, which it thankfully didn’t, but everything else got completely drenched.”
He added there has been no water connecting to anything on the site since Wednesday because of damage done to the borehole, and the aftermath of the flooding has been clear to see.
“Little play areas that I’ve made out of wood which were at the front of the site are now at the back of the site,” he said
“Debris off the fields that the water has washed through is completely strewn all over everything and everything stinks to high heaven.
“Because there’s no running water, I can’t clean or mop anything.”
An assessment of the premises will take place on Monday, with the cost of repair expected to be more than £20,000.
“I’ve been quoted about £12,000 as a new well needs to be drilled,” Mr Walters said.
“On top of that, I’ve got to replace the filter system and the pump, but the important thing is also trying to seal the current well that’s just spewing everywhere, which is going to be £10,000 and £15,000 as well.
“I’m just hoping and praying with all my heart that I’ll be up and running in 12 weeks’ time.
“I’ve put blood, sweat and tears into this project for 11 years and this is my nest egg.
“When I was finished with it, I was going to sell it and give the inheritance to my daughter and that has disappeared, as the value of this land will have completely plummeted now due to this event.
“That’s the most heartbreaking thing for me.”
Mr Walters has set up a GoFundMe appeal, and said that he will be “forever grateful” that people have been “dipping into their purses for me”.
“I’ve had some amazing customers over the last seven years and anyone that comes here, they’re literally a family member because it’s my baby,” he added.
Mr Walters’ fundraising page can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/cresslands-touring-park-survival-fund