West

Researchers at Middlesex University have been studying the psychological health impacts of flooding emergencies since the 1980s and their conclusions will come as little comfort to the victims of this summer's deluge.

They've also discovered that some people have problems with sleeping and depression.

Safe haven violated

Social scientist Sue Tapsell from the university's Flood Hazard Research Centre says, "Home is a place where you feel safe; it's your refuge.

"If you've been flooded it's like that place has been violated and you don't feel safe there again. So there's a psychological impact of that on you." 

Leia Rosenberg’s house in Gloucester was flooded twice in one month.

She's been staying with her parents while the repairs are carried out but she's having to share a bed with one of her children because there's not enough room.

Her four year old daughter Milly has had nightmares about water chasing her.
   
But it's not just the children who are struggling to cope.

Leia was signed off sick from work for two months with stress.  

She says, "Every time it rains, everytime there's a heavy thunderstorm or the bad weather starts I am going to be worrying. That is a very helpless feeling".

Living apart

For 69 year old Michael Hobbs, the floods have forced him to live apart from his wife.

Michael is living in a caravan while the repairs are carried out to his home near Fairford.

Michael is anxious about his financial situation. His insurance company has just told him that the funding covering his wife’s care may run out before their house is habitable again.

While the majority of people will be able to put the floods behind them quite quickly, for others the process is much harder.

The big clean up

Graham Symons, from Oxfordshire, was flooded more than a decade ago but the experience still haunts him.

He says: "As soon as it rains, especially heavy rain, you start to panic. We were visiting the river two or three times a day to see how much it was rising. Is it going to happen again?"

Back in Gloucestershire, the clear-up after the summer deluge is continuing.

While there's much work still to do, it's becoming clear that buildings and roads will be repaired long before some of the flooding victims can move on from the trauma they've suffered.   

Help at hand

There's a special BBC helpline available for people who are still suffering after the floods.

The Action Line is open seven days a week, from 7:30am until midnight.

All calls are free and confidential.