EXPERTS fighting to rescue an East Riding village from flood water admit they are struggling to come up with a solution.
More than 100 residents packed into St Cuthbert's Church in Burton Fleming to hear what the Environment Agency, East Riding Council and Humberside Fire and Rescue Service has been doing to tackle the problem.
Problems started more than a week ago when the Gypsey Race watercourse burst its banks, flooding about 15 properties.
John Skidmore, East Riding Council's head of streetscene services, said: "We can't say when the situation will end. It could be a number of weeks.
"The water is coming up from the ground.
"We are exploring all the options and not ruling anything out."
Officials are unable to say how long the water may remain in the village.
They are checking to see what can be done without affecting neighbouring villages.
At the meeting, officials from East Riding Council and the Environment Agency vowed to speak to every resident to find out how they have been affected and come up with a long-term solution so it does not happen again.
Carly Mansfield, 28, and Robert Webb, 28, live within 6ft of the flooding.
Ms Mansfield said: "The authorities are doing the best job they can.
"All we can do is watch as the issue is the water table is so high."
Teams have been working around the clock to pump water away from homes but the saturated ground means flood water has nowhere to go.
Patsy Brader, 69, said the situation has brought the community together.
The water is within a few metres of her house.
She said: "It has brought the community together.
"We've been ringing people who are on their own to check they are ok, doing people's washing, letting them have a bath.
"Everyone has been rallying round. A lot of the work has gone on quietly. Everyone has been doing their bit."
Another resident said dozens of people, some in their 70s, had been helping to fill the sandbags.
She said: "The community has been fantastic."
Despite having to wade through more than a 1ft of water to get to its entrance, the owners of the Burton Arms pub have still managed to open its doors for business.
Residents were expected to go there last night to see in the New Year.
On Christmas Day, one lady cooked sausage and mash for the on-duty fire crews.
A Humberside Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Local support and appreciation for the efforts of the fire crews over this period has been overwhelming.
"The Village Hall has been opened to crews, refreshments being provided and thank-you cards received."
A spokesman for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) said it had been pumping flood water in Burton Fleming since Christmas Eve.
He said: "HFRS crews have worked constantly and selflessly over the Christmas period to ensure that flooding disruption in Burton Fleming has been minimised.
"Numerous fire crews and assets have been employed to tackle the rising flood waters, including HFRS' high-volume pump (HVP) and four national pumps from the Environment Agency.
"These pumps have been used to pump flood water from one end of the village, around local residences and away at the other end of the village.
"This has been an effective strategy and the HVP has proved to an integral part of this as water levels have risen any time the HVP has been switched off to move its location."Pumping is ongoing and the local situation and weather forecast continues to be monitored by the multi-agencies involved with this operation."
• More pictures: Flooding in Burton Fleming
