Dorset carpet business 'devastated' by flooding

Lee Steele, 43, owns L's flooring on the Old Yarn Mills Business Centre in Sherborne.

After heavy rainfall over the weekend, the doors at the back of Lee's shop gave way and gallons of water came bursting in, filling the shop with water around four feet deep.

Lee said: "I was in the shop when it happened, we sometimes get a little bit of water coming in after heavy rain.

"We had a couple of inches of water on the floor in the shop.

"Then all of a sudden the doors at the back of the shop gave way and came in with the frame.

"An inch of water became three or four feet within about 30 seconds and the water was up to my hips.

"The water took the entire door frame out."

Mr Steele has run the shop alongside his wife Hannah for 25 years.

Lee Steele and his wife Hannah (Image: Lee Steele)

Due to Mr Steele shop being located on a flood plain, his insurance now will not pay out to cover the damage, with around £30,000 of stock being thrown into the bin the business now faces a very uncertain future.

Mr Steele added: "It is 25 years of work in the bin.

"We didn't have the building insured for flooding, the insurance company withdrew it last time it happened because we are on a flood plain.

"It was bad for all the houses around us, the saving grace for the others is that it was my door that gave way.

"It was flowing through like a river.

"It has all gone in the bin, everything is gone; tools, stock, all worth about £30,000.

"It is devastating, we don't know if we can come back from this, we have lost all of our sampling. How can we sell carpets without sampling?

"It is the worst situation, I don't know whose fault it is.

"We feel lost and I am devastated.

"I started this business when I was 18.

"Some of the tools I have lost were passed down to me by my father, they mean more to me than they are worth. It is heartbreaking."