A PENSIONER has been left with a massive bill after his eight-foot garden wall was destroyed by extreme flooding.
James Terry, 82, has told how the repairs to fix the wall, which collapsed when a river flooded his garden, could cost thousands.
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The OAP, said he heard a thunderous crash in the early hours of the morning outside his home in Greenock earlier this month.
When he looked out of his window he saw his entire back garden under two feet of water.
And his huge eight-foot brick garden wall lay shattered on the ground.
It happened after a nearby culvert had become blocked, causing water to pool in the area.
And it overflowed onto James’s street and into his garden.
James quickly contacted Inverclyde Council the following day and representatives from building control came to assess the damage.
They informed him that it would cost £50 per square metre to replace the wall – working out to thousands of pounds in total.
And since he is recovering from an operation on his hand, he is unable to carry out the work himself.
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James said: “I looked out of the back window, and I couldn’t see my garden. There was only water, and I couldn’t see my wall.
“It came down in one and it’s a nine-inch thick wall, eight-feet high and 40-feet long. It was solid.
“I could see a playhouse at the back of my garden and was confused – that’s because it belongs to a house in Carmichael Street.
“It’s unbelievable, I got the fright of my life.”
James then phoned a friend who helped him deal with the aftermath of the flooding on Wednesday last week.
They managed to get a side gate open to allow all the water from the floor to pour out of the garden.
James, who has lived in the home for 40 years, added: “It was like a torrent flowing out.
“It will cost a lot of money to replace the wall, say £50 per square metre.
“The hardest part will be to get all the rubbish away. We’ll need a skip for that and it will cost thousands.”
Not only was James’ garden wall damaged, but a utility room and shed were also impacted in the ordeal.
The flooding caused damage to it’s flooring and carpets which will also add to James’ overall repair costs.
He is hoping that his insurance will be able to cover the cost of repairs to the utility room but will have to make a claim.
The blocked drain that caused the flood has now been cleared.
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A spokesperson from Inverclyde Council said, “We note that a recent weather event resulted in the over-topping of the Jardine Burn culvert at South Street and we are aware of damage within the property boundary.”
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