IT will be at least two months before flood victims left devastated after a water main burst in their street are able to discover the cause of the disaster.

And Normandy Crescent residents have been left fuming after Thames Water failed to tell them its investigation into the flood would take at least six weeks to complete.

Mandy Blessing, 46, said the utilities company had not contacted her since a drop-in session at St Francis Primary School, in Horspath Road, last Monday.

The mother-of-two added: “I’m absolutely livid because when we went to the meeting that was the one thing that we specifically asked for, for more communication and for them to be a bit more forward.”

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Mrs Blessing said she was unhappy Thames Water’s van, which enabled residents to maintain face-to-face contact with the company, was removed without residents being informed.

She added: “That just shows the lack of interest in the people of the neighbourhood.

“There’s no compassion towards the individuals that have been affected. We don’t feel like we are important.”

But Thames Water spokeswoman Becky Trotman said the van was an emergency response vehicle intended for residents in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

She added all residents affected had been given letters with Thames Water’s contact details.

The company also confirmed it had given emergency payments to residents in need of immediate financial support, but would not confirm amounts.

Paul Lockhart, 36, has been staying in a hotel with wife Maria, 42, and their two children Sarah, 10 and Sofia, two, after their ground-floor flat was flooded two weeks ago.

Mr Lockhart said he had received a letter from Thames Water with its contact details but he was concerned they had not contacted him about accommodation.

He said: “We just need somewhere to live. We are staying in a hotel but it’s not home.

“The children are still missing home and it’s really getting to them a bit.”

Churchill and Lye Valley county councillor Liz Brighouse said Thames Water had also failed to return her calls about the disaster.

She added: “I just don’t think they are being upfront about what’s going on to anybody.

“I think residents are quite frightened and I would be frightened if I was chucked out of my home and I did not know where I was sleeping the following week.

“It’s an absolute traumatic experience and it almost feels like no-one is taking it seriously and that’s where anger comes into it.

“These people’s lives have been ruined and it will take an awful long time to pick up from it.”

There have also been reports of attempted looting in the Cowley street but a spokesman for on-site security company Systematic Security said it had not dealt with any incidents.

It is believed a group of men posed as council workers and asked to remove furniture, but left after they were challenged for identification.


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