An overwhelmed drain caused chaos
17:20, 04 Dec 2025
This is the dramatic moment Co-op staff frantically tried to sweep flood water from a store after torrential rain in Devon.
Three of them were using brooms and even a plastic crate against the rising water levels in the entrance to the store in the Chelston area of Torquay on Tuesday, December 2.
The dark coloured deluge flowed into the shop after a nearby drain failed to cope with the storm.
So it was all hands on deck for the ankle-deep workers bailing out the mire.
The area was hit by heavy rain, which caused some roads to flood too.
The entrace to the Co-op store in Torquay flooded (Image: Jam Press)
Witness Sue Williams praised the shop staff’s dedication. “Poor guys, cold and wet doing their best,” she told What’s The Jam.
“Shop flooded with rain water.”
Locals were sympathetic too. One said: “So sad, I do hope things get better for you guys.”
Another said: “Oh so sorry, I hope the damage wasn’t too bad.”
While another added: “If I had seen this earlier, I’d have come over to help.”
Several flood alerts were issued across Devon on Tuesday after heavy rain lashed the county.
A 21-hour rain warning was in place on Monday, which sparked disruption earlier this week.
