A FAMILY has told how their children were left homeless for Christmas after a horrific storm destroyed their home.
Chantelle Bourne, 31, and Daniel Tilling, 36, were left “angry” and “scared” after water came in through their loft and destroyed irreplaceable memories.
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Chantelle Bourne with her three daughters in front of their battered home Credit: Chantelle Bourne
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Bedroom ceiling collapses from water pressure Credit: Chantelle Bourne
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Work on the roof remained unfinished over the weekend causing Storm Bert to descend Credit: Chantelle Bourne
All the houses on the council estate in Weymouth were to be tiled and the steam roof removed.
But when workers packed up on Friday, November 22, Chantelle claims they left her roof partially exposed to the weather.
As Storm Bert hit on Saturday, the rain poured down, seeping all the way into the couple’s daughter’s bedrooms.
The couple say their three daughters, aged 11, eight and six, were left to sleep on air mattresses in the living room.
They don’t even have electricity, so they had to turn off the water heater on Saturday night.
Daniel, a construction worker, described his first reaction when Chantelle called him about the leak: “I was angry.”
Chantelle added: “I feared for my children’s safety.”
Daniel said the girls were “angry, upset and afraid to go upstairs.”
One of their daughters has autism and is traumatized.
Daniel said: “She needs a routine and she needs a return to the bedroom.”
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The problem destroyed irreplaceable memoriesCredit: Chantelle Bourne
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Water coming in through the ceiling Credit: Chantelle Bourne
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Water leaks all the way down the walls Credits: Chantelle Bourne
Their older daughter managed to get back to her bedroom, but the younger two are still in the living room, although they have returned to school.
Like many of us, the couple kept sentimental items in their loft, such as locks of their daughter’s hair, school papers and drawings, birthday cards and scrapbooks – all destroyed.
Daniel said, “We can’t save any of it.”
He said: “We want something done about this. This is not what we wanted for Christmas.”
The merchants promised to send a surveyor to assess the damage, but no one showed up, the couple explained.
Following the event, Chantelle and family were moved into temporary accommodation after she noticed more damage to the property.
A key safe was installed so Chantelle could re-enter her home if needed, however the mother-of-two says the code has since been changed – locking her out.
Due to the stress of the event, her six-year-old wet the bed, but now Chantelle can’t go home to get extra sheets.
She claims the council changed the security key code without any warning.
The Sun has contacted Dorset Council for comment.
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Children’s Ruined Clothes Credit: Chantelle Bourne
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Full shot of one of the girls’ bedroom Credit: Chantelle Bourne
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Water soaks under Credit: Chantelle Bourne
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education