A FAMILY of five from Tidworth have been without a home for a month after they returned to their flat to find it had flooded.
Sophie Prior and partner Adam Hare live in Westbury House in Tidworth – an Aster owned building. On Tuesday, November 11, Sophie returned home with her oldest daughter, Tilly-Mai, 3, to find it had been flooded.
Sophie said: “We got home at 3.45pm and Tilly was being annoying, so I told her to go straight to her room, she came out and started crying. I said, why are you crying?
“I had to run her up to the neighbours, I thought it was just the washing machine but I walked in and it was flooded everywhere.”
Her mum, Lesley Ford, was concerned straight away and has stepped in to support the family as quickly as possible.
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Lesley said: “It’s been very hard for Sophie, I got the phone call from her and she was so uptight, I thought she said her waters had broken and realising she was underwater.
“It’s devastating – I felt like crying for her.
“In that moment, she was absolutely devastated. She was heavily pregnant – my concern was her as well as the children and I was concerned it would set off labour and it did. The stress just brought it all on.”
Sophie added: “It was just I didn’t know what to think. I don’t care about my stuff, it’s more about the kids’ stuff. Being so stressed on top of being pregnant on top of the flat meant Georgia came early.”
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Before the flooding, the family has dealt with mould and damp issues since they first moved in 13 years ago, and middle child Maisie-Rose, 3, has been “in and out of hospital” with breathing problems because of it.
Aster has been contacted for comment.
Since the flooding, Sophie, Adam, Georgia and Masie-Rose have been moved to a B&B in Upavon, and Tilly-Mai has been living at Sophie’s mum’s house in Ludgershall to enable her to continue at pre-school.
Sophie said: “Having to be split away from my first daughter and newborn baby and not getting that bonding time for her. She tells people she’s from a broken home – no three-year-old should have to go around saying that.”
Lesley added: “She’s struggling at the moment, I’m trying to keep her into a routine as every child should have a routine.”
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Lesley said that they have been relying on support from the community – in particular Kids’ Clothing Exchange in Tidworth.
She said: “I just want to thank everyone in our local community – they have been absolutely fantastic. So many donations, not just Ludgershall it’s been Tidworth as well.”
The family said Aster has said work will be carried out between December 9 and 11 and they will be able to move back in straight away.
Lesley said: “I don’t have much hope. I just want them in a property so they can enjoy a Christmas.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family move forward. Click here to donate.
An Aster spokesperson said: “We understand and are sorry to hear about the stress and disruption the flooding has caused our customer and their family.
“The flood was caused by a mains water pipe burst underneath the home. This means we need to wait for the home to completely dry out before the repair work can be carried out. One of our team is visiting weekly to check on the home while it dries.
“Repair work has been scheduled from 9 December, allowing sufficient time for the home to dry first. Provided it has done so, we are confident that we can complete the repairs at that time, enabling the family to return home safely before Christmas. We will only move the family back home once we are satisfied all work is completed and the home is safe.
“In the meantime, we have worked with the family to move them to a safe and secure cottage, which is suitable for five people and for a family with a newborn baby. We fully appreciate the inconvenience of being in a temporary home and our customer’s worries, particularly at this time of year, and are doing everything we can to support them. We understand the family has contents insurance which will help cover the cost of their damaged belongings.
“Prior to this flood, a report of damp, condensation, or mould was received in August 2023, when a full survey was conducted. The survey identified the need to replace a kitchen fan, which was promptly completed.”
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