A retired offshore worker in Portessie only wants one present this Christmas — for Moray Council to end his flood worries before winter storms devastate his home again.
Last Christmas was ruined for Bill Cooper and his family after a council alteration to long-standing sea defences forced a deluge of water into his home.
In 2005, the council installed a sewage culvert and pumping station opposition Mr Cooper’s home on Great Eastern Road.
A vehicle access to the station was formed by breaching a concrete defence wall and was replaced by two makeshift wooden beams.
Mr Cooper warned the council that the beams were not adequate to handle large quantities of water nine years ago, but the council never acted.
Last year, his fears were confirmed, when a build up of water dislodged the beams and swept across the street into his home.
With fresh flood warnings released by SEPA in Moray yesterday, Mr Cooper wants the council to sure up the gap properly immediately and put things right before another disaster happens.
The former electrical engineer, 65, said: “Last Christmas was a disaster. We didn’t put a big tree up this year because of last year’s floods.
“My wife, Linda, was going to put all the presents under the tree for the kids, but then we had that storm last December and the whole ground floor was flooded. If that flood on December 5 had been two days later, it would have totally ruined everything.
“I am not denying the council their access, but the work they did left the armoured rock wall over a foot lower than it should be in front of our house, which just gives the water at high tide a runway. All I want them to do is to seal that entrance properly as they promised, so I can stop worrying about my house flooding.
“In 2005, we said to the council that it would happen, and they never did anything. This place hasn’t flooded since 1953, but seven years later, we were washed out.”
Moray Council’s head of direct services Stephen Cooper said: “The rock armour was checked by one of our engineers immediately after the work was undertaken and the level at this time was satisfactory.
“Mr Cooper’s request to replace the existing wooden stop log across the access point in the wall with concrete is currently being considered.
“Consultation is required with interested parties to ensure this will not restrict access. Assuming that there are no issues we would hope to do the works before the end of March 2015.”