Mary Calderbank, a teacher at Malmesbury School, has been up through the night pumping flood water from her lounge, 13 months after her home was devastated by the floods.

“We have been here for almost 23 years and it is the second time it has flooded.

“We have water in the lounge and in the dining room.

“It’s just so frustrating, especially at this time of the year when we were all ready for Christmas.”

Having learnt from last year, when flood water surprised the Calderbank family and poured in to their home for the first time, and the kitchen in particular, preparations were put in place early with polytile flooring and moveable items lifted high.

“After last year we decided we would be more prepared,” said Mrs Calderbank.

“We are having Christmas at home and have family coming on Christmas Day, so we had to be prepared.

“The water started coming in at 4am. Once the brook grows to a certain level that’s when you know it is going to come in.

“We have got a little vacuum which takes up the water and we must have emptied something like 20 two gallon buckets out.

“We got the water out as quickly as we could and then set up a dehumidifier to dry it all out and now I’m washing it all again.

“My worst thing for me was that my ponies at the end of the garden were knee-deep in water and wouldn’t go in to their dry stables, but I managed to get them in with some hay.

“I am keeping up-beat because if it gets to you then you start feeling depressed and it’s not worth it for some water.”