Marooned in the middle of a world of flood water

Like many others, the Magers’ farm became an island as dykes overflowed

These farmers survey the scene. The future for many farms looked bleak as salt water soaked into the land

IN their cosy farm house just a mile from the sea at Sutton, the Mager family was settling down to enjoy the evening meal.

The log basket had been filled and the kettle sang in the hearth. Outside, the animals were bedded down for the night.

But the sea had already breached Acre Gap and, in the howling wind, was surging towards the farm.

The peaceful scene was about to be shattered.

Brenda Mager was a young mother with two four-year-old sons and has unforgettable memories of the night the sea came over...

She said: "It had been a day of appalling north westerly wind. By evening, the gale confronted a surging spring tide, piling it into massive waves and hurling it through the sand hills which, in many places, were protected only by thorn bundles called kids.

"On our farm, the stock had been fed and strawed down, coal buckets and log baskets filled, evening meal prepared and kettle set to sing.

"Then dirty water suddenly gurgled up through the drain, quickly spreading and deepening.

Instinctively we headed for the staircase - two puzzled adults, two rather bewildered four-year-olds and a black llabrador.

"We grabbed the battery wireless, the big torch and an armful of coats.

The carpet was rising around our feet and water had already reached the third step.

"It smelt of the sea. The lighting plant was swamped in its outhouse and we were left standing on the landing in darkness, trying to keep calm.

"We got upstairs, where the dog flopped on the bedroom rug and slept. Until now disaster had always affected other people, never nearer than the newspaper headlines, now it was here - in our home.

"We recalled images of little isolated houses like ours, almost submerged, with families marooned like birds perched on the roof.

"But we gradually began to think more logically. There were vast acres of Lincolnshire marsh over which the tide could spread. We piled on lots of clothes and went to bed. News on the wireless told us many others along the east coast shared our predicament, even beyond.

"In the Irish sea a car ferry, the Princess Victoria, had sunk.

We were stunned to think of the unimaginable cold and terror, which put our own situation into perspective.

"At dawn we dared to look out.

"We were surrounded by shining sea, but it was still menacing. A new tide came rushing in and our sixth step disappeared. The bread board and a root of celery floated in the hallway. That strange thumping we heard in the night was revealed to be the freed rain water butt.

"The sea came about four feet high in the house, our horse brasses were just dipping in the salt water.

"Weeks later, houses near the sand hills were left with sand piled to the ceiling. The excitment of adventure helped our two boys through the ordeal, especially when Mum and Dad ventured down stairs for cakes and biscuits - providentially Friday (the day before) had been my baking day. We even managed to light a fire in the bedroom grate.

"Patsy, our house cow, had been mournfully bellowing for hours desperate to be milked. We were able to oblige on Sunday evening, even though she was belly deep in flood water and ate dairy nuts from a floating scuttle.

"She was later rescued, but the young calves I had fed and cared for lay drowned in their sheds, bodies bloated and eyes dilated.

"Pigs were dead too, skin turned red by the icy water.

Wedged between two chicken huts, we found our pet ewes we had bottle reared. By Monday morning we saw Army lorries and amphibious vehicles coming down the road.

"So Sutton on Sea was evacuated. People, dogs, cats and budgies taken to the waiting homes of Alford, Louth and all those other welcoming places on dry land.

"A DUKW turned into our farm lane and we were helped aboard. Tess, our labrador swam beside us. She was scooped up and loaded by a kindly soldier.

"Near Hannah Church, we emerged from the water to reach the buses which took us to safety.

"Such a welcome was prepared for us at the house we went to in Alford. Hot baths, a beautiful meal and the prospect of a blessed nightís sleep - and all I could do was cry."

ëThe sea was heading straight for usë

EXPOSED to the elements daily during the course of their work, many farm hands were well aware of worsening weather prior to the 1953 storms which brought the sea over.

Harry Skinn was a young farm worker at Manor Farm, Maltby le Marsh in 1953.

On the night of the flood, Harry was looking forward to seeing a film at Mablethorpeís Lyric cinema, with his friend Dennis Snowdon...

Harry said: "I remember we had gale force westerly winds for days before the flood.

"It made it difficult to carry straw from the straw stack in the crew yard."

That week, Harry had been helping backstage with Trusthorpeís pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at the church hall. The production was a great success and when the curtain went down for the last performance on Friday night, Harry was free to enjoy some entertainment of his own.

He had arranged to go to the cinema at Mablethorpe with his friend Dennis Snowdon.

He recalled: "There was an eclipse of the moon that Saturday and the wind had veered to a more northerly direction."

Biting winds prompted Harry and Dennis to wait in a shop doorway in the High Street, while the first house came out.

As they huddled against the icy gale, the two noticed from their cramped shelter movement further up the road, a dark, creeping mass - it was the sea.

Said Harry: "It was heading straight for us.

"I remember Dennis saying something about crossing the road if we were going to get to the pictures, but I wanted to move my car as I had left it in the field which is now Seacroft Road."

As Harry drove his car out on to the road, sea water began lapping around his tyres. He put his foot down and headed for the Cross Inn on Mile Lane, and towards Trusthorpe.

He said: "On the way we met up with Ken Smith who told us he thought we were going to have a flood as the water was backing up the drain at the side of Crossing Farm."

Harry did a quick U turn and headed back down Mile Lane.

As the two drove to safety, Harry and Dennis glanced back towards Mablethorpe and saw the street lights going out.

Harry said: "By now the sea was almost at the school corner, I dropped Dennis at his home in Alford Road and drove back to Maltby."

Dennis Snowdon and Ken Smith inspecting the damage at Sandilands, near the pullover

As Harry Skinn drove to safety, Mablethorpe had already been claimed – many houses like this one had seen the water sweep through the ground floor in an unstoppable deluge

A trickle that became a raging torrent

AN evening of fun almost turned into a night of terror for high-spirited teenager Janet Harris (nee Kemp) and her friends.

Janet recalled: "I left the family home on George Street, Mablethorpe, in the early evening to meet up with friends, I was just 16 at the time."

But the gang soon became side-tracked from their plans when they saw sea water running over the main pullover.

"We were very silly, typical teenagers.

"Instead of trying to get home quickly, we thought it was great fun to stay and watch."

But fun almost turned to disaster as the trickle of water became a torrent, with the teenagers in its path.

Said Janet: "We had no choice but to keep backing away from it and eventually ended up right at the top of the High Street, near the primary school.

"We were unable to get back to our homes and Mr and Mrs Warmouth, who lived next to the school, took us in for the night.

"Somehow they got a message to our parents who were all frantic with worry."

Janetís parents and sister were evacuated by tractor and trailer to relations in Nottingham, while she was sent to stay with a Miss Gilson at Louth.

Later, Janet was sent to join her family, along with her friend Sylvia Armstrong.

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