During long periods of rain the River Mole rises and occassionally breaks the banks at the Borough Bridge. However, freak wet weather in November 2000 closed the village from the north.

Members of the Bonfire Committee acted as water taxis

The following article was printed by the Dorking Advertiser on 9 November 2000.

Flooding Nightmare goes on

The worst floods to hit Mole Valley for decades resumed this week with yet more heavy rain looming on the horizon.

As the district was plunged back into watery chaos, parts of Leatherhead were waist-deep in water, and Brockham village was sealed off when river levels climbed to record heights.

Families in Leatherhead, Brockham, Capel, Mickleham and Fetcham were forced to move out as the waters crept over sandbags and into homes, and key roads such as the M25 and A24 were closed off during both rush-hours for the second successive Monday.

While the misery continued for those whose homes were submerged, records confirmed this autumn as the wettest for 200 years, with two-thirds of the annual rainfall level pouring from the skies since September.

Flood warnings were back in place for the River Mole as the Advertiser went to press, and the high waters are set to burst over banks again if forecasts are accurate. News of more rain ahead could spell catastrophe for severely stretched emergency services and council workers, who were out fighting the rising torrents of water in Leatherhead late on Monday night.

Head of Mole Valley’s environment department John Tiffney was knee-deep in water in the town until midnight, when the river’s peak passed through. Despite local radio reports, he insisted no council-organised evacuations took place, and said: “All those who have left their homes have gone to friends or relatives of their own accord, and many preferred to stay at home.” He added: “But we have seen an awful lot of flooding and many people have moved furniture and valuables upstairs to protect them.”

In Brockham, 16 properties were badly flooded, and firemen from Molesey floated round the village in a dinghy as they checked vulnerable houses. Mr Tiffney continued: “Fetcham was also very badly hit, and at around 10.30pm on Monday night, three policemen were wading along River Lane to help cut-off residents down there.”

Sandbags were delivered to the vast majority of people who requested them, but he added: “In the end, we simply could not get vehicles to every single property in trouble.” Of the further rain forecast for the area, he commented: “We are anticipating more of the same throughout the week, and will act accordingly.”

Fresh downpours could spell more closures for several schools, and Therfield in Leatherhead, Brockham Primary School, and The Weald Primary School in Beare Green were all forced to shut on Tuesday. More rain could also lead to the cancellation of funerals, which was the case for some families due to attend Leatherhead crematorium earlier this week.

Speculating on the grim outlook, Advertiser weatherman Ian Currie said: “The unsettled weather will be back by the end of the weekend with lots of low pressure systems moving in, so we are not yet out of the woods. “The previous wettest autumn was 1974 but we are now way above that, and are literally in unchartered waters.”

Some 150 roads closed across Surrey on Monday, and with further deluges in the air Superintendent Steve Batley, of Surrey Police, said: “We ask drivers to keep speeds down and not to create damaging bow-waves.”

Surrey County Council reiterated the message to drivers, because water from the waves can slop over sandbags and into homes

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