The villagers of Snape have rallied round to help each other clean up after the tidal surges of Thursday night.

East Anglian Daily Times: Tidal Surge around Suffolk's coast has caused major disruptions. Andrew Rodgers at his parents house in Snape.Tidal Surge around Suffolk's coast has caused major disruptions. Andrew Rodgers at his parents house in Snape.

Homes and businesses were subjected to floods at least three feet deep during the height of the surge.

But while some escaped with little or no damage, others felt the full force of mother nature.

Ira Ford, second chef at the Crown Inn, said: “The water level’s gone down now but at its height it was probably about two or three feet in some places.

“There’s nothing left salvageable on the ground floor that wasn’t lifted up. All the fridges in the kitchen are all gone and everything’s full of dirty water.

“We lifted everything up that we could lift up but the big stuff we couldn’t and everything on the ground level’s gone.

“Yesterday loads of locals came down and helped sandbagging. Everyone’s trying to help out everyone.

“We had 15-20 people yesterday at short notice and this morning loads of people have been volunteering to help. It’s really nice that everyone’s chipping in and helping out.”

Local farmers have stepped in to house the pigs and sheep that are kept at the pub.

They also had 44 turkeys but 38 drowned in their coop when the water rose, despite it being several feet off the floor.

Meanwhile, Andrew Rodgers was visiting his parents’ house where they’ve lived for 12 years and have never had anything this bad happen before.

“At four in the morning I had to rescue our small spaniel, it was rather deep,” he said. “I was picking up chairs and there’s TVs on the side where I’ve had to move them.

“It was getting dangerous, we’ve got no plugs because they’ve all been filled with water and the fuses have all gone.

“It was about two foot deep. There’s all sorts of stuff that’s going to have to go, this chair’s been totally soaked, that sofa’s going to have to go as well.

“There’s nothing we can do but wait for it to dry out and get it cleaned up.”

Sharon Quilter praised the community spirit villagers have shown during the past 24 hours.

She said: “It’s really fantastic and it’s really heart warming. I think it’s the people that make a community.

“There’s been a bit of shock to say the least, and relief, that if we’re okay that’s lovely but it’s important to check out what’s happened to the rest of our neighbours.

“We were told to leave but we didn’t. We did move things up and we put them back this morning. But we’re probably going to put them back up for noon.

“We got plenty of warning for it which was good but scary. I don’t think anybody was thinking it would be this best.

“We were lucky, we don’t have water in the house.”

Geoff Berry recalled a previous flood in the village when he was a teenager.

“When I was 15 I remember coming home on a school bus and it had broken in two places and they’d converged.

“I’ve got a photo of my grandfather in a rowing boat in 1953, so it’s not as bad as that this time.

“Luckily we’re in one of the highest parts (of the village).”