In Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, a tractor driving through floodwaters on Sunday has caused severe damage to local businesses. The incident occurred as the Kyre Brook, swollen from heavy rains, submerged the town’s high street.
When the tractor plowed through the floodwater, it created a wave of water that smashed windows, knocked doors open, and pushed sandbags across rooms, worsening the already significant flooding damage.
West Mercia Police are investigating the incident after several videos appeared on social media showing the tractor’s reckless actions.
While no arrests have been made, the police are speaking to affected business owners and reviewing further footage. “We’re actively investigating the incident,” a spokesperson said.
One business owner, Paul Birkin, who runs the Crow Pub, expressed his frustration: “It’s devastating… this business would have probably got away with it but he came down, for whatever reason, at that speed.”
Birkin explained that the water levels had already risen, but it was the tractor’s wave that caused the severe damage, pushing open doors and shattering windows that were holding back floodwaters.
Business Owners Face Devastation After Tractor Drives Through Floodwaters on High StreetOther businesses were similarly impacted. Louise Preston, owner of Pitter Potter Pottery Studio, saw the sheer force of the tractor’s wake destroy their shop window.
“The tractor drove through and the wave it created knocked out our window,” she explained. “It didn’t make contact with the building, it was just the wave.”
For some, the damage has pushed them to the brink. Stephanie Hopkins and Nick Harrold, co-owners of Eternally Ageless Aesthetics, now face the possibility of losing their beauty business.
“It’s just total devastation,” said Harrold. Without insurance coverage, the financial toll is insurmountable.
The flooding, compounded by the tractor’s actions, has left many businesses in disarray, with some owners fearing they may never recover from the destruction.
As the investigation continues, the town of Tenbury Wells is left grappling with the aftermath of a tragic and unnecessary act of reckless behavior.