"The head of the Environment Agency believes Hull has suffered the worst flooding anywhere in the country but today the people of Hull feel forgotten and their plight ignored." (Carl Minns, Hull City council leader)

Authorities in Hull are appealing to the Government for extra funding to help families and businesses affected by last week's floods. Although hit very badly, the flood damage in the whole of South Yorkshire doesn't begin to match the devastation in Hull.

Almost 15,000 homes in the city have been affected, or over one in ten of the total housing stock. Current estimates put recovery costs in the region of £350million and the clean-up operation could take up to 2 years to complete. Hull City Council is deploying all its resources into this unprecedented 'clean up' operation.

Although the general situation is improving, with water levels throughout the region having stabilised, thousands of Hull residents continue to be affected. Hundreds are still in temporary accommodation with many more facing weeks before their homes dry out enough for repair work to begin. A number of schools are likely to remain closed for some months, and other community facilities have been badly damaged including day-care centres, libraries and leisure centres.

Hull City council leader Carl Minns said the city has been so badly damaged, with many schools, businesses and thousands of homes affected, that it will take years for life to resume as normal. "It's going to take an enormous amount of money to put things right and that can only come from the Government. The scale of the damage is so large that I would estimate it will take up to two years before Hull is back to normal." Ends

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