Chesterfield floods: Couple had to climb onto roof with their pets before being rescued on a raft

When storm Babet hit Chesterfield last Friday, Joseph Mann, 31, his partner, and two pets had to climb to the roof through a bedroom window at their Tapton Terrace house before being evacuated on a raft by Fire and Rescue.

Joseph said: “ It was scary and stressful. My girlfriend can't swim so she was panicking. The water level was rising so we went upstairs. The water downstairs was up to the neck.

"Fire and Rescue came about 7.30pm. We had to go through the bedroom window onto a roof and then we went across the roof to the back of the property. I carefully lowered my girlfriend and my dog Arya to the raft and then lowered myself with my cat Lucky in a bag. The landlord and my dad were with the rescuers as well, making sure we were all right."

As the couple and their pets were brought to safety, the house they rented did not have as much luck – with walls, floors and the furniture they bought less than a year ago completely ruined.

Joseph said: “ When we were moving in we knew the area was flooded in 2007, but it was not affected in 2019 so we thought it would be alright. The property was very nice and dog-friendly, which is what I needed at the time. And there were flood defences in place on Friday but the water just went under and beyond them and started pushing through the gap under the door, flooding the house.

"The landlord has been great. He said we don’t have to pay the next rent and we can store our things upstairs until we find a new place. But we are left without a house. I’m currently living with my parents and looking for a new place. But many landlords and estate agents don’t allow dogs, or if they do, they ask you to pay massive fees on top of the rent to have pets.”