Storm Babet brought the best out of Suffolk's heroes as farmers, volunteers and emergency services leapt into action.
Community leaders have expressed their gratitude for the countless acts of community spirit which saw elderly residents rescued from their homes, schoolchildren safely reunited with parents, and refuge centres quickly established.
Framers in tractors and 4x4 drivers waded through flood water as heavy rains flooded towns and villages, while one man used a homemade paddle boat, built for his grandchildren, to rescue elderly neighbours.
Councillor Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council’s leader, said: "While some communities were relatively unscathed by Storm Babet, the destruction and disruption it has caused in many areas of Suffolk cannot be underestimated.
"I would like to thank the blue light services, highways and council staff for their hard work in such difficult circumstances.
"I would also like to commend the farmers and 4x4 owners who rushed to the aid of stranded children and residents and brought them to safety.
"But most of all, I wish to thank Suffolk’s wonderful volunteers and members of the community, who stepped up and helped each other. They demonstrated a truly special quality inherent in the people of Suffolk."
Storm Babet caused chaos in Debenham on Friday, with schoolchildren stranded after it was deemed too unsafe to transport them home.
Around 50 people were sheltering in the local leisure centre there and sleeping on crash mats overnight, staff said.
Leaping to the rescue, Simon O’Brien used his homemade paddle boat to rescue elderly neighbours who had been left trapped in their homes by the flood water.
His partner Mary Scott told the PA news agency: “It’s been sitting in the garden all summer waiting for an opportunity to launch.
“His family have teased him mercilessly about its ‘seaworthiness’ but it floats and came in very useful.”
Around 150 pupils at Debenham High School were stranded on Friday after buses deemed the roads too unsafe to transport them home.
In a letter to parents on Saturday, headteacher Simon Martin said: "I wanted to thank so many people for their help and support on Friday night, whether that was the parents who turned their homes into youth hostels, bringing very welcome supplies to the school - including the Co-Op delivery - to make things more comfortable for those at school and the messages of support sent in.
"I do particularly want to thank the farmers, tractor drivers and our wider community for their efforts until beyond midnight to get our pupils and staff home in incredibly challenging conditions.
"Also to the Lowland Rescue Team who finally stopped their support at around 2am on Saturday morning.
"We were so grateful for all of this support from so many volunteers who made what could have been a terrible night so much better.
"We are incredibly fortunate as a school to be part of such a fantastic community who rallied to support each other at such a difficult time.
"I hope that people are beginning to be able to get back to some normality and that those whose houses and vehicles have been damaged have a speedy resolution to their troubles."
Pupils were also left stranded at Gislingham Primary School, before being rescued by a tractor and trailer.
The Barker family, of Lodge Farm in Westhorpe, volunteered to transport pupils through the village to get them home safely.
Headteacher Richard Benstock said: "The Barker family have always helped the school with events such as farm visits, school sustainability projects, harvest festivals and ongoing links with LEAF, but on Friday they kindly used their resources in a practical way to support local families in need.
"Our heartfelt thanks go out to them."
Staff at the Dennington Queen pub were praised after Desda Jordan and her 88-year-old mother were offered refuge during the storm.
The pair had been staying at Westleton and were on their way home to Cambridge when flooded roads forced them to turn back.
Desda said: "I decided to go to the pub as the light was on and they offered coffee and respite for us.
"The landlord offered meals for everyone as a good will gesture, and by then the pub was filling up with people from all over the country that were trying to travel home from the area.
"There was a communal spirit of support between all of us seeking refuge, and as it became dark in the evening the parish councillor opened up the village hall and the community offered blankets and bedding.
"My mother and I were two of five people offered a bed for the night by Robert Wardley and his wife Pauline who we will be forever grateful to.
"It was a traumatic situation to be in and trying to drive through flooded areas was nerve-racking but the staff at the Dennington Queen Pub were heroes on Friday and should be remembered for the kindness and humanity they showed to a large group of us needing refuge desperately.
"The community at large also showed compassion and support which I will never forget."
Jon Lacey, Suffolk’s chief fire officer, said: “Suffolk Fire and Rescue received thousands of calls for help during Storm Babet and our fire fighters worked tirelessly to rescue people who needed our help.
"The way partners in the Suffolk Resilience Forum came together – alongside members of the community – meant Suffolk rose to the challenge. On behalf of the forum, I’d like to say an enormous thank you.”
What community leaders said of the response
Councillor Caroline Topping, leader of East Suffolk Council, said: "The impacts of Storm Babet have been felt right across East Suffolk and I am incredibly grateful to the emergency services for the way they responded to affected communities.
“I also want to thank my council colleagues and local volunteers who have gone above and beyond to take care of people who have been displaced, and are now tackling a mammoth clear-up task which may yet take some time.
“Everyone has pulled together and this really is Suffolk at its best.”
Councillor Cliff Waterman, leader of West Suffolk Council, said: "I want to thank everyone for the response to Storm Babet over the past few days. That includes all our communities, in particularly in Hepworth where I know a number of homes were badly flooded and where my fellow councillor Carol Bull and the parish council have been working to help those affected.
"It is also a thank you to all those who have checked in on neighbours across other parts of West Suffolk left without power as a result of the storm damage.
"A big thank you to all in the emergency services who alongside the county and district councils, have been busy working to keep people safe over the past few days.
"Our work isn’t done though, and our focus has now switched to clearing up the debris to help our communities return to normality. We are also continuing to liaise and be ready to support a small number of households who have had to leave their homes because of flood damage."
Councillor Andy Mellen, Mid Suffolk District Council leader, said: "These are the worst floods we have seen in our district for many years, but we have also seen the best of our communities.
"People have helped each other, we saw farmers using tractors to help schoolchildren and stranded motorists in Debenham and many other places, the local leisure centre staff provided an overnight rest centre for those forced from their homes.
"Teachers and school staff ensured the safety of children when the flooding hit on Friday afternoon and roads became impassable. There were many more examples.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone, plus to our emergency services, council teams, fellow councillors and town and parish councils for being there for our communities.”
Councillor John Ward, Babergh District Council acting leader, said: "The spirit shown by our communities in response to these floods has been magnificent. In those areas hardest hit, people rallied day and night – for example, there was a rapid local response in Long Melford on Friday night when Chad Brook burst its banks.
"There have been many other examples of community spirit and kindness, and I would like to say thank you all those people who stepped up to help others during the crisis. I also want to say thank you to our emergency services, council staff, councillors and town and parish councils for working tirelessly throughout the weekend.”
Councillor Neil MacDonald, leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said: “I would like to express my appreciation to all residents and emergency service responders who swiftly and efficiently handled the fallout from Storm Babet.
"I am also grateful for our communities, who came together to support and offer aid to their neighbours. The quick actions and cooperation ensured that the situation was managed effectively.”
Police and crime commissioner for Suffolk, Tim Passmore, said: “I am truly heartened by the wonderful support the people of Suffolk have given to those who have found themselves in difficulty or distress because of the terrible floods we have experienced.
"My thanks go to all those who volunteered to help, and of course all those people in the emergency services, local councils and other public sector agencies and charities who collectively worked closely together in the name of public service.
"While the past few days must have been very alarming for many, it is extremely reassuring to see the communities of Suffolk pulling together so well once again in a time of need."
Deputy chief constable Rob Jones from Suffolk Constabulary, said: "It has been a huge collective effort by members of the Suffolk Resilience Forum over the past few days to ensure the people of Suffolk were supported where necessary – their courage, professionalism, sense of community and compassion has shone through.
"This compassion has also been reflected in the wider community who have also shown great kindness and generosity in coming to the aid of those in need.
"My thoughts also go to those who have sustained property damage because of the flood waters and I hope they are receiving the help and support they will continue to need in the coming weeks."
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