0:00:02 > 0:00:05The British weather is a constant topic of conversation.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09Often unpredictable, it's now having an even bigger effect on our lives.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Dangerous floods threaten our homes, forest fires devastate
0:00:13 > 0:00:18our countryside and savage storms ravage our coastlines.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Today we find out what happens to Britain
0:00:21 > 0:00:23when it's hit by freak weather.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29We'll see the stories of people's lives who have been turned
0:00:29 > 0:00:31upside down by the totally unexpected...
0:00:35 > 0:00:38..and we'll show you how to protect yourself, your home
0:00:38 > 0:00:40and your family from disaster.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Welcome to Living Dangerously.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51We've all seen reports of tornadoes, flooding and storm damage,
0:00:51 > 0:00:55but what's it like when extreme weather nearly destroys lives?
0:00:55 > 0:01:00Well, today, we hear two incredible true stories.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Coming up on Living Dangerously...
0:01:02 > 0:01:06when the flash floods of June 2005 hit the North Yorkshire Moors,
0:01:06 > 0:01:11it's a race against time to rescue dogs trapped in rising water.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16We knew, the speed that it had come into the house, that if it continued
0:01:16 > 0:01:21at that speed that you wouldn't get the dogs out of the kennels.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And for three teenagers from Brighton, a fun day out in the snow
0:01:24 > 0:01:28turns into a terrifying two hour ordeal.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31I was shivering and there was nothing I could do,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34just praying, hoping when the ambulance is going come.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38With home video, actual footage and reconstruction,
0:01:38 > 0:01:43we show what happened during these real life weather events.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52For those craving a piece of the English countryside,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56the sweeping and dramatic landscape of the North Yorkshire Moors
0:01:56 > 0:02:00takes a lot of beating, but this picturesque setting
0:02:00 > 0:02:04can also transform very quickly into an unforgiving and hostile
0:02:04 > 0:02:09environment when the unpredictable British weather decides to strike.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11That's a very good boy!
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Ray Yoward and his late wife, Mary, wanted to live the country dream
0:02:15 > 0:02:18on these moors and moved to the village of Hawnby
0:02:18 > 0:02:22on the River Rye in the year 2000 to run a boarding kennels business.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27Most of the time it was just a beautiful place to live.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30I mean, the surroundings are beautiful,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34the people who ran the kennels with dogs, just like we do,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and people just like to bring their dogs here.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38They felt that the dogs were on holiday!
0:02:41 > 0:02:45'I've had dogs all my life.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48'I particularly like German Shepherds.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51'Dogs are the same every time you see them.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'They're pleased to see you, they don't answer you back.'
0:02:55 > 0:02:57That's very good!
0:02:57 > 0:03:00They're a far better proposition than people!
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Ray's boarding kennels were in a beautiful setting,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05tucked away at the bottom of a hill,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08just a few yards from the picturesque River Rye.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13The boarding kennels have always had a dedicated following,
0:03:13 > 0:03:15with the summer being especially
0:03:15 > 0:03:18busy as dog owners head off for warmer climes,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21leaving their precious pooches behind with Ray,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24safe in the knowledge they'll be happy and well looked after.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25On June 19th 2005,
0:03:25 > 0:03:31Ray's kennels were almost full to capacity with 29 dogs in his care.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35The UK was experiencing a heat wave,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39with temperatures hitting the mercury at 33 degrees centigrade.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42It was unusually hot.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47It was dry, it had been dry for well over a month.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52The ground was baked hard, there were no puddles anywhere,
0:03:52 > 0:03:59the river was low and the heat was quite oppressive for June.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04This was to pave the way for the most unexpected and extreme weather
0:04:04 > 0:04:10that endangered the lives of Ray, Mary and their treasured charges.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13I've come to meet Ray to find out just what happened.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Oh, look at this view here, as well!
0:04:18 > 0:04:20That's actually Hawnby Hill
0:04:20 > 0:04:23and there's a walk right the way around it and you can get climb up
0:04:23 > 0:04:26the top of it and it's absolutely stunning, the views from the top.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Oh, don't! I'll never want to leave!
0:04:31 > 0:04:34So take me back to June 2005.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38We'd just fed the dogs, we feed them at four o'clock,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42and they'd been fed so they'd been let out so then we would have
0:04:42 > 0:04:46just come back into the house and there was a power cut,
0:04:46 > 0:04:51so we got a transistor radio, it was red-hot and we just lay on the bed
0:04:51 > 0:04:55and I was just laid on the bed in my underpants, it was that hot.
0:04:55 > 0:05:01Heavy and thundery downpours had developed across Northwest England
0:05:01 > 0:05:04and North Wales, breaking the stifling heat wave.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09The dramatic storm spread across the North Yorkshire Moors throughout
0:05:09 > 0:05:11the afternoon and Hawnby was to bear the brunt of it,
0:05:11 > 0:05:16with almost a month's worth of rain falling in just one hour.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22There were thunderclaps, but there was a heavy rain.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27The rain was so heavy it was just like looking through frosted glass,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30you could hardly see through it.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34So at what point did you think, "This is no ordinary downpour,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37"this is something a bit more serious"?
0:05:37 > 0:05:43When Mary actually opened the window and looked out and saw that the water
0:05:43 > 0:05:47was already six inches deep in the yard, and we'd never,
0:05:47 > 0:05:53ever had water in the yard, so we knew that it was pretty serious.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55And that's when you sprung into action?
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Yes, that's when we sprung into action but we did not expect
0:05:58 > 0:06:02it to rise at the rate that it rose. We'd never have believed it.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04If you had said to me this is going to happen,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08I'd have said, "No, it's never done it before, won't do it now!"
0:06:08 > 0:06:13The bungalow had stood there for 103 years without it happening,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16so you just don't think it's going to happen, do you?
0:06:16 > 0:06:20After days of searing temperatures, the ground on the moors
0:06:20 > 0:06:25had been baked solid, so there was nowhere for surface water to drain
0:06:25 > 0:06:30and with an incredible 27mm of rain falling over Hawnby within just
0:06:30 > 0:06:3515 minutes of the storm starting, this intense rainfall gathered on
0:06:35 > 0:06:40the moors and gushed down the hills to engulf roads and fields below.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44To make matters worse, the River Rye just below Ray's kennels
0:06:44 > 0:06:47had been dried out to little more than a trickling stream
0:06:47 > 0:06:48and was quickly overwhelmed.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52It burst its banks and now a raging torrent
0:06:52 > 0:06:54was racing towards the kennels.
0:06:54 > 0:07:01The river, you can throw a stone from and hit the house or vice versa,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04the house is that close to the river,
0:07:04 > 0:07:09but the river would be 15 feet below the house, normally,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13so it had to come up 15 feet plus to start coming into the house.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17The flash flood from the River Rye was uncontrollable
0:07:17 > 0:07:22and water had taken over Ray's yard, surrounding the bungalow
0:07:22 > 0:07:27and the kennels next door and with 29 dogs in their care
0:07:27 > 0:07:31and their own pets to worry about, Ray and Mary had to act quickly.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36We got our four dogs and the two cats, put them on the bed
0:07:36 > 0:07:40in the bedroom and shut the door, thinking they would be safe in there.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43I only had my underpants on cos it was that hot and humid,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46so I actually put my Wellingtons on and cos it was raining so much
0:07:46 > 0:07:49I thought, "there's no point in putting any clothes on,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53"there's no-one around, I might just as well go out in my underpants."
0:07:53 > 0:07:56So that's exactly what I did and by the time we'd got through the door,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59the water was already coming into the house.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03The kennel block was also filling with water and with the dogs locked
0:08:03 > 0:08:08in individual enclosures, there was nowhere for them to escape.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10They were getting stressed and frantic
0:08:10 > 0:08:12while the rain continued to lash down.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15DOGS BARKING
0:08:15 > 0:08:18You didn't have time to think about whether you could see through it
0:08:18 > 0:08:22or not because you knew that you had dogs in kennels that were locked in
0:08:22 > 0:08:27and we had to get out and get them out of there.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30This home footage shows how the flood levels had risen
0:08:30 > 0:08:33to cover the entrance to Ray's offices and home.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Within 20 minutes, it was four foot deep.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43It was that flash a flood. You know like you've seen
0:08:43 > 0:08:48the scenes of the one in Boscastle when it was coming down?
0:08:48 > 0:08:51It was just like that, just all of a sudden... boompf!
0:08:55 > 0:08:59We knew that, the speed it had come into the house, that if it continued
0:08:59 > 0:09:03at that speed that you wouldn't get the dogs out of the kennels.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Coming up later on Living Dangerously...
0:09:05 > 0:09:09as the flash flood in the North Yorkshire Moors continues
0:09:09 > 0:09:11to engulf Ray's boarding kennels,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15even firefighters are shocked by this force of nature.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Looking down was absolutely incredible,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20like the Somme battlefield, full of water!
0:09:25 > 0:09:30Brighton is one of the UK's most famous seaside resorts
0:09:30 > 0:09:34and is the perfect place to enjoy a traditional British holiday.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Located in the South of England,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42it enjoys an average of 148 sunny days per year.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Just five minutes north of Brighton lies the Devil's Dyke,
0:09:49 > 0:09:54a dry V-shaped valley which was created over 14,000 years ago
0:09:54 > 0:09:58as a result of river erosion.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03The valley is 500 metres deep and the hill is almost 1km in length,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07making this the longest valley of its type in England.
0:10:07 > 0:10:14Vince Ruocco and Scott O'Malley have lived in the area all their lives.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18We've known each other for about two years.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Since then we just skateboard, go surfing now and then.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- We do, like, just insane stuff. - It's just great to be
0:10:25 > 0:10:28with your friends just having fun and just going for it.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32They met in a local college a few years ago and soon became good pals.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Sharing a love of extreme sports and a sense of adventure,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40the boys really know how to live life to the full.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48In February 2009 the South of England
0:10:48 > 0:10:52experienced its biggest snowfall in over 18 years.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56This was due to extremely cold air coming over from Scandinavia
0:10:56 > 0:11:01which clashed with warm air over the North Sea, resulting in thick,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03heavy clouds packed with snow.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Although the Met Office had issued warnings,
0:11:07 > 0:11:12no-one was quite prepared for the sheer volume of snow that came.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Literally, we had one shower after another hit Southeast England,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Southern England and London itself.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21That hasn't been seen for years.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23The snow fell throughout
0:11:23 > 0:11:28the evening of Sunday 1st and the early hours of Monday 2nd February
0:11:28 > 0:11:31and the South of England woke up
0:11:31 > 0:11:34to a heavy blanket of snow causing havoc on the roads.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Sussex was one of the hardest hit areas.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Flights at Gatwick Airport were severely disrupted,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52420 schools were closed and in the Brighton and Hove area,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55buses and train services were cancelled.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Even the city's beach was covered in snow!
0:11:58 > 0:12:04The heavy downfall finally stopped around 9am on Friday 2nd February.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Wow! Look at that! The beach is absolutely rammed with people!
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Look at the snowmen being made on the beach!
0:12:15 > 0:12:16We woke up to snow.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19The whole street and the roads were just filled with snow.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23When we looked out of the window, straightaway we just got on
0:12:23 > 0:12:26some clothes, any clothes and just had a massive snowball fight!
0:12:29 > 0:12:33By 12 pm that day, the snow had started to fall again
0:12:33 > 0:12:37and authorities had to act fast. 500 tonnes of salt were delivered
0:12:37 > 0:12:41to the area of Sussex, in an attempt to clear the roads.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The weather was preventing most people from leaving
0:12:44 > 0:12:46their homes and going to work,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49but for Vince and Scott it was the chance to have some fun!
0:12:49 > 0:12:53It just kept going on and off all day and we were just having
0:12:53 > 0:12:57so much fun all day and then our friend called us about six o'clock
0:12:57 > 0:13:01and, like, the snow stopped and they asked us to go up to Devil's Dyke.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Throughout the day, locals descended on the valley
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and with a gradient of 1:10 and a thick blanket of snow,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13it seemed like the ideal place for sledging.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Devil's Dyke is like the ultimate hill.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22I personally have never sledged Devil's Dyke before but Vince and Dan
0:13:22 > 0:13:26have about a year ago and I remember them telling me how fun it was,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30but they've never been on this side, they've only been on the other side
0:13:30 > 0:13:32which is the more shorter side, less steep.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37By 8pm the temperature had dropped below zero,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41turning most of the snow into ice. This meant that the surface
0:13:41 > 0:13:45of the steep gradient would have become even more
0:13:45 > 0:13:47precariously slippery and fast.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Unaware of this potential danger, the boys had now reached
0:13:51 > 0:13:54the top of the Dyke and were preparing to head down the slope.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Instead of a sledge, the boys were using
0:13:56 > 0:13:59a short rectangular piece of foam known as a bodyboard.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I remember me, Dan and Vince were just standing at the top
0:14:02 > 0:14:06with our bodyboards and we were just looking at the bottom of it
0:14:06 > 0:14:09and we could just see the full moon shining all over it.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12We could just see the snow reflecting from the sky, kind of thing,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16and all the shiny stars above us and it just felt a really special moment.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22In search of the ultimate buzz, Vince, Scott and their friend, Dan,
0:14:22 > 0:14:27decided they were going to take bodyboarding to the extreme
0:14:27 > 0:14:31and attempt to go down the slope, head first.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35There were three of us all stacked up, lying down on top of each other.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Dan was, like, "No, no, we're not going to make this,"
0:14:39 > 0:14:43he was quite scared but me and Scott were determined to get to the bottom
0:14:43 > 0:14:44and we just went for it!
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The daring trio set off from the top of the valley
0:14:47 > 0:14:50with a drop of 100 metres ahead of them.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57We pushed off with a bit of a push and we were picking up speed so fast,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00just the feeling of the wind, you know, going across your face,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03it felt like we were going 40, 50 miles an hour.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06The boys were lying face down on the bodyboards
0:15:06 > 0:15:10flying down the valley with their heads just inches from the ground.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Their heavy weight on top of the thick ice sent them
0:15:13 > 0:15:16careering down the slope at an alarming rate
0:15:16 > 0:15:21and, as it was now pitch black, the boys had very little visibility.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25We, like, went over this bump which made us drift to the other side
0:15:25 > 0:15:29and from a distance I saw something protruding out of the snow.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35They had now been knocked off course and were heading
0:15:35 > 0:15:36into an area of virgin snow.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Unbeknown to them, the snow was hiding a very dangerous obstacle.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42As they drew closer,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45the boys realised they were hurtling towards a huge rock.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47SCREAMING
0:15:47 > 0:15:53Without brakes or the ability to steer, there was no way to avoid it.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57As we got closer, I was, like, "This isn't good,"
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and I remember Vince saying, "This is it, guys,"
0:16:01 > 0:16:03cos he thought we were going to die.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06We initially started to brake with our feet but literally
0:16:06 > 0:16:09it was so icy that our feet were just sliding along.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15The boys were now reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and with the ice preventing them from stopping,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21they were in a very serious situation.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25And that's when we crashed.
0:16:25 > 0:16:26CRASHING
0:16:31 > 0:16:36All I remember is just flipping in the air and we just hit the ground.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40We rolled quite a bit and then like just came to a stop.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45All that was going through my mind was, "What's happened to Scott?"
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Because he was just screaming, in a lot of pain.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51The first words that were coming out of my head was shouting out for help,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55just shouting out that we're badly injured here and we can't move,
0:16:55 > 0:16:56we just want to let people be aware
0:16:56 > 0:16:59that there's people down here that need help.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Luckily Vince, Scott and Dan were with a group of friends who had
0:17:02 > 0:17:06witnessed the high speed collision from the top of the valley.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Apparently they could hear the smack of the boulder when we hit it
0:17:10 > 0:17:13from the top so luckily they all came running down to help.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18They'd get all their clothes off and wrap us up really warm and cos
0:17:18 > 0:17:21we were laying on the snow and the ice it was pretty cold.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27At 9.30 pm Sussex Emergency Services received a call for help
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and immediately sent out a helicopter and an ambulance.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35The snow had caused absolute chaos throughout the county and after
0:17:35 > 0:17:40receiving hundreds of calls already, they were struggling to cope.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45The weather on that day was quite severe. There were several inches
0:17:45 > 0:17:48of snow on the ground, up to 11 inches in parts of Sussex
0:17:48 > 0:17:51and the snow was still coming down which was a great concern,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55add into that the fact that the road conditions make it so difficult for
0:17:55 > 0:17:59any emergency vehicle to get to any call makes it a real headache.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Back on Devil's Dyke it was clear that the boys were badly injured.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Surrounded by fields and with no roads leading to the valley
0:18:06 > 0:18:12and the nearest property over a mile away, they were completely isolated.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18All they could do was wait and hope that help would reach them quickly.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20We were soaked through and through,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23I could feel the cold and the wet, like, touching my skin.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27After an excruciating half-hour wait,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30the emergency helicopter arrived overhead,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34but the amount of snow and shape of the valley meant landing
0:18:34 > 0:18:37was going to be a serious problem.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41A massive bright light comes round from the valley,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45all we could hear was this noise of a helicopter just coming over us
0:18:45 > 0:18:49and it was shining its lights on us but because we were on a hill,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51it couldn't find somewhere safe to land.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54To make matters worse with the steep and rocky terrain,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58there was no way an ambulance could get to the boys either
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and with the snow still falling,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03this was becoming an impossible situation.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05We were worried because we were getting worse.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10I was freezing, lying on the snow, my back's getting damp from the wet
0:19:10 > 0:19:14and cold, my teeth were chattering, I was shivering and there was nothing
0:19:14 > 0:19:18I could do, just praying and hoping when the ambulance is going to come.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21The boys were stranded and with a temperature of minus two
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and a wind-chill of minus ten,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27hypothermia was becoming a real possibility.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Coming up later on Living Dangerously...
0:19:33 > 0:19:37with the snow continuing to fall, and temperatures dipping below zero,
0:19:37 > 0:19:41will the emergency services be able to reach the boys?
0:19:41 > 0:19:45I was beginning to think, "Are they ever going to get here in time?"
0:19:51 > 0:19:56On 19th June 2005 a sudden and intense thunderstorm
0:19:56 > 0:19:59broke over the North Yorkshire Moors
0:19:59 > 0:20:03with a month's worth of rain falling in just three hours.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05The village of Hawnby was worst hit.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Within minutes of the storm starting, intense rainfall that
0:20:08 > 0:20:12had gathered on the moors coursed down hills into the River Rye,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16causing it to burst its banks and now a flash flood had engulfed
0:20:16 > 0:20:21the home and boarding kennels of Ray Yoward and his late wife, Mary,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25threatening their lives as well as the 29 dogs in their care who
0:20:25 > 0:20:31were locked in their enclosures with nowhere to escape the rising waters.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34We knew that, the speed that it had come into the house,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36that if it continued at that speed,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38you wouldn't get the dogs out of the kennels.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40But worse was to come.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Within half an hour of the storm starting, the rising floodwaters
0:20:44 > 0:20:48had become a raging torrent, destroying everything in its path.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51It had also submerged the bridge over the River Rye,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54making it impassable. It was the only link between
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Ray's boarding kennels and the village of Hawnby.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01This meant Ray and Mary were now completely stranded,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03left on their own to try and save the dogs
0:21:03 > 0:21:06still trapped in their kennels.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08The bridge was actually under the water,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10the water was over the top of the bridge.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14We didn't know where we were going to get any help from.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18People from the village couldn't come and help. Anyone that was going
0:21:18 > 0:21:22to come and help would have to come from this side, up the hill,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and they wouldn't know what was going on, of course.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29But it wasn't just Ray's kennels falling foul
0:21:29 > 0:21:33of these destructive elements. Hawnby and the surrounding area
0:21:33 > 0:21:36had been overwhelmed by the flash floods.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Cars were being swept away by the gushing river
0:21:38 > 0:21:42and people were having to climb trees to escape the rising waters.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45The emergency services were at breaking point,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49none more so than the local Fire Brigade based at nearby Helmsley.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52They received 11 calls within an hour,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55including this one from a concerned neighbour.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59'OK, you've probably had a few of these calls but we live in Hawnby.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04'There's a river running through a house and kennel full of dogs.'
0:22:04 > 0:22:07'Have they got the dogs in the kennels or not?'
0:22:07 > 0:22:09'We don't know, we can't get through,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11'the water's six foot high on the road.'
0:22:11 > 0:22:13But it wasn't going to be easy for the Fire Brigade
0:22:13 > 0:22:17to get to the boarding kennels. Not only had the river
0:22:17 > 0:22:21burst its banks, a powerful torrent of water was picking up
0:22:21 > 0:22:25and destroying all in its path, as firefighter Ian Pattison recalls.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29We dropped down into a valley, following the river to Hawnby,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33we got to the first bridge and sat on the bridge on the pump looking across
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and where the river is normally about five metres across,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41it was about 80-90 metres across, and it was just like a cauldron.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45To see pieces of tarmac and stone being ripped up into the air,
0:22:45 > 0:22:50probably 15 or 20 feet up, huge lumps, probably half a tonne in weight,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53just tossed about like a match in water and seeing the bridge
0:22:53 > 0:22:56demolished like that in front of you, it just makes you think a bit harder,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00so we backed off the bridge and then had to find another way
0:23:00 > 0:23:03so it was about a 10 mile detour to get to Hawnby.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06This meant what should have been a ten minute journey
0:23:06 > 0:23:08was going to take twice as long.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12We do worry when we're delayed like this because any delay to us
0:23:12 > 0:23:15means that it's, in this case, 20 minutes on somebody's life
0:23:15 > 0:23:19is a long time and we need probably to get them to hospital, anything,
0:23:19 > 0:23:20so it is a worry.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26The situation was dire for Ray and Mary. They were completely isolated
0:23:26 > 0:23:31and within minutes the river had swollen to ten times its usual size.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Their home and kennels were engulfed in five feet of water.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40The flood was still rising rapidly, so when Ray finally managed
0:23:40 > 0:23:43to wade his way into the kennels, he feared the worst.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48When we walked in there, all the dogs were swimming.
0:23:48 > 0:23:54There wasn't one that had legs long enough to stand up in the water.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59They were definitely scared, barking and swimming for their lives.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- So tell me, you go in there, there's 30 cages...- Yep.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10..30 dogs and all the doors locked, the rain is coming down,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14it's up to here on you, that water must have been cold,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17how on earth did you get those doors open and get those dogs out?
0:24:17 > 0:24:23It's willpower! You are going to do it, it's as simple as that!
0:24:23 > 0:24:26So you open up the doors, they're all yapping and wanting help?
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- Yeah.- What was the next thing that you did?
0:24:29 > 0:24:34The next thing I did because the water was coming in so fast was
0:24:34 > 0:24:41to jump on top of the work surface and knock out the plastic roofing
0:24:41 > 0:24:46because I thought, "It's coming up that fast,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50"where am I going to put them?" I actually got up on the roof
0:24:50 > 0:24:55and Mary was handing them through the roof and I was sitting them
0:24:55 > 0:24:58- along the roof like crows.- Wow!
0:24:58 > 0:25:02And one of them was a blind Red Setter and I had the lead on her
0:25:02 > 0:25:07and I tied the lead on the weather vane so that she couldn't get lost.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10To me, that sounds absolutely terrifying!
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Well, you haven't got time to be terrified, have you?
0:25:13 > 0:25:14You've got a job to do.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17But there was some help at hand...
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Ray's neighbour, John Richardson and his wife, Sue, saw what was
0:25:21 > 0:25:25happening to the kennels and dashed over to offer assistance.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28He actually climbed up onto the roof of one of the blocks
0:25:28 > 0:25:31and I was walking along the kennel block and passing them over to him
0:25:31 > 0:25:35and he was taking them down and handing them down to his wife
0:25:35 > 0:25:36and his daughter in the car park
0:25:36 > 0:25:40and they were fastening them on the fence in the car park.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44What were the dogs doing? Were they fighting you, were they panicking?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46No, they weren't, they weren't.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49I got scratched quite a bit with having to lift them up
0:25:49 > 0:25:55and put them through the roof, cos I had no clothes on, only my pants,
0:25:55 > 0:25:57but it had to be done.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01The rain had been thrashing down for just over an hour
0:26:01 > 0:26:07and Ray's boarding kennels were completely engulfed by flood water
0:26:07 > 0:26:10when, at 6pm, the Fire Brigade managed to get to them,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13but they weren't prepared for the scene of devastation.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17Looking down was absolutely incredible! It was like
0:26:17 > 0:26:22the Somme battlefield, just full of water, like a cauldron of water,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26unbelievable sight, and so we knew we were really going into a tough time.
0:26:28 > 0:26:34Mary was sat on the roof with about 10 or 12 dogs running round her
0:26:34 > 0:26:38on the roof of the kennels and then poor Ray came round the side
0:26:38 > 0:26:41of the buildings after doing his rescue, just in his underwear,
0:26:41 > 0:26:46just shivering to death, so it was quite a scene to come across, really,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48but the challenge is then on.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53By now, the storm had started to ease off and even the clouds began
0:26:53 > 0:26:58to disappear but there was no escape from the merciless flood waters.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02The firefighters worked frantically to get the dogs off the roof
0:27:02 > 0:27:05and save the remaining animals trapped in the kennels.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09We had a bit of a problem because the floodwater had blocked
0:27:09 > 0:27:12the entrance to the kennels by pushing debris against it,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15so we couldn't get in through the doors plus the water was still
0:27:15 > 0:27:18too deep to enter so we got the cutting gear off the fire engine
0:27:18 > 0:27:21and cut the mesh to the kennels and one of the lads was lowered through
0:27:21 > 0:27:26the hole and he got the dogs out and passed them back onto the roof again,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28so they did a great job there.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32And as the rescue operation continued, it became apparent
0:27:32 > 0:27:35that Ray and Mary's own pets were at risk.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39They'd left them on their bed in the bungalow thinking they'd be safe
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and it was kennel assistant Julie Barr who came to their rescue
0:27:43 > 0:27:47when she arrived at the kennels to be confronted by scenes of panic.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51It was horrendous, it was really, really horrendous.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54I saw Mary, my boss, and she said to me,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57"Julie, we're going to lose dogs, we're going to lose dogs."
0:27:57 > 0:28:00I looked over to the roof of the kennels and there was Ray
0:28:00 > 0:28:03on top looking very attractive in his underpants and his wellies,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06so I shouted to Ray, "Where are our dogs?"
0:28:06 > 0:28:09meaning his dogs, and he said, "They're in the house,"
0:28:09 > 0:28:12so I then proceeded with the Fire Brigade to get the dogs out.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19The fierce storm over the North Yorkshire Moors was unprecedented.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22The village of Hawnby was the worst hit,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25experiencing the heaviest rainfall since 1789.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29The resulting flash flood took just minutes to engulf
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Rye Boarding Kennels and the operation to rescue the animals
0:28:33 > 0:28:35over an hour and a half.
0:28:35 > 0:28:40Sadly, two of the 29 dogs were lost to the flood
0:28:40 > 0:28:43after they panicked and jumped into the water, where they drowned.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Ray and Mary were taken to hospital and monitored overnight.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53The surviving dogs were taken in by kennel assistant, Julie,
0:28:53 > 0:28:58and then looked after by the RSPCA until their owners reclaimed them.
0:29:00 > 0:29:01In the event of flooding,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05there are some practical things you can do to protect your pets.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09If you're in an area prone to flooding and there's been
0:29:09 > 0:29:11a period of heavy rain,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14do check the Environment Agency website for flood warnings.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16You should plan an escape route
0:29:16 > 0:29:19and make sure you have suitable carriers for your animals.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22If you are suddenly faced with a flood, take your pets to
0:29:22 > 0:29:27the highest point in your property to keep them out of harm's way.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31This is also a very stressful time for your animals,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33so do give them a lot of reassurance.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40When it came to the flash floods that hit Ray's North Yorkshire Moors
0:29:40 > 0:29:43boarding kennels, it was something quite unique.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46I've been in the Fire Brigade now for 31 years
0:29:46 > 0:29:50and there's been lots of flooding jobs but nothing like this,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53this was something extraordinary and to be quite honest
0:29:53 > 0:29:55taking part in something like that
0:29:55 > 0:29:57is a real challenge to you and to your crew.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Not least for Ray,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03but the stoic Yorkshireman took it all in his stride.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06People have said to me since, was I frightened?
0:30:06 > 0:30:09No, I wasn't, I wasn't frightened at all.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11I never considered being frightened
0:30:11 > 0:30:14and yet when you look at the water afterwards,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18we were just extremely lucky that we didn't die!
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Coming up on Living Dangerously...
0:30:22 > 0:30:24As flood waters recede the next day,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Ray takes stock of the damage but will he have a business left to run?
0:30:28 > 0:30:33There was nothing to see but mud and devastation
0:30:33 > 0:30:36and it was just a disaster.
0:30:41 > 0:30:47On Monday 2nd February 2009 the Brighton and Hove area woke up
0:30:47 > 0:30:50to the biggest snowfall in over 18 years.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Wow! Look at that! The beach is absolutely rammed with people!
0:30:53 > 0:30:57Look at the snowmen being made on the beach!
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Whilst sledging in the steep sided Devil's Dyke Valley,
0:31:00 > 0:31:04teenagers Vince, Scott and their friend, Dan, were travelling
0:31:04 > 0:31:06at almost 50 miles per hour
0:31:06 > 0:31:10when they careered out of control and into a large rock,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13leaving all three seriously injured.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16I was shivering and there was nothing I could do, just praying, hoping
0:31:16 > 0:31:19when the ambulance is going to come.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23The boys had been lying in the snow in temperatures of minus two
0:31:23 > 0:31:29for 45 minutes, but the emergency services were unable to reach them.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33The Ambulance Service were really struggling to get to the patients.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36The road vehicle clearly couldn't travel across the fields
0:31:36 > 0:31:38and the train meant that the Air Ambulance
0:31:38 > 0:31:40couldn't even make a landing.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Still unaware of the extent of their injuries
0:31:46 > 0:31:49and with no prospect of rescue, they were beginning to panic.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53The pain was so sharp, I've never felt anything so sharp before.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55I couldn't breathe properly
0:31:55 > 0:31:59for 45 minutes because I was so winded and I was really scared
0:31:59 > 0:32:03cos when I struggled to breathe, that's when I was really shocked
0:32:03 > 0:32:05because I'm scared that I'm going to die.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08I was laying on the snow waiting for the ambulance team to get there
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and I was shivering cos I was soaked through.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13A rescue like this is going to be really difficult.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15There's always a danger that
0:32:15 > 0:32:18hypothermia might start to affect the patient.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24It was now 9pm and the rest of the country was settling in
0:32:24 > 0:32:26for another night of heavy snow.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31The Met Office had issued severe weather warnings across the UK
0:32:31 > 0:32:35and people had been warned not to go out unless absolutely necessary.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40Back at Devil's Dyke,
0:32:40 > 0:32:44the boys had been lying injured in the snow for over an hour.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45The snow was still falling
0:32:45 > 0:32:49and an icy wind coming over from Central Europe continued to blow.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55We had friends there comforting us,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59speaking to us, checking if we're OK. They were just next to us,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02talking to us, trying to get our minds off
0:33:02 > 0:33:07what's happened and you know, the shock of it all, but, yeah, no,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11I knew help was on the way, but I knew it would take time.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15With the helicopter finding it impossible to land,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18emergency services needed to find a solution urgently.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Luckily, volunteers from St John Ambulance were on standby
0:33:23 > 0:33:27with a specialist vehicle capable of battling through the snow.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34The vehicle used in the rescue operation was this one behind me.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37It's a vehicle that was designed especially for St John Ambulance
0:33:37 > 0:33:41and especially because of its off-road capabilities,
0:33:41 > 0:33:43its four-wheel drive and its off-road tyres.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49At 9.30pm, the specialist vehicle raced to the scene,
0:33:49 > 0:33:54but once near the South Downs, they needed help to locate the boys.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59We used the vehicle to travel across several fields.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03To do this, we had to communicate with the Air Ambulance.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06They had their searchlight to shed light on the route
0:34:06 > 0:34:10so that the vehicle could travel safely across the fields.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15I was beginning to think,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17"Are they ever going to get here in time?"
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Two hours after the accident,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24the St John's Ambulance finally arrived at the scene.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29When our volunteers arrived on the scene,
0:34:29 > 0:34:33they were able to quickly identify a suspected pelvic injury.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35That was a real cause for concern.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Pelvic injuries often cause significant internal damage,
0:34:38 > 0:34:42internal bleeding and can actually be life-threatening conditions
0:34:42 > 0:34:45so moving the patient quickly and safely to hospital
0:34:45 > 0:34:46was a top priority.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Vince couldn't get up at all
0:34:56 > 0:34:59so they had to pick him up, put him in a wheelchair kind of thing
0:34:59 > 0:35:02and then put him in. Then they picked me up and Dan
0:35:02 > 0:35:05and then we managed to get in, and then they drove us down
0:35:05 > 0:35:09to the bottom of the valley where the other three ambulances were.
0:35:09 > 0:35:14Three separate ambulances battled through the snow to get the boys to
0:35:14 > 0:35:19Royal Sussex County Hospital, just six miles away from Devil's Dyke.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23They said I fractured my shoulder and I was stuck in the hospital
0:35:23 > 0:35:26for five hours because the waiting was terrible.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28I broke my arm, I lacerated my kidney, and because
0:35:28 > 0:35:32I lacerated my kidney, it led to internal bleeding.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35On top of these injuries,
0:35:35 > 0:35:40Vince also suffered from hypothermia and was in hospital for two weeks.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44Their friend Dan suffered from a fractured pelvis.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47The boys weren't the only ones caught out by the snow.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51Throughout the UK, there were hundreds of casualties,
0:35:51 > 0:35:53but there are some precautions you can take
0:35:53 > 0:35:55to limit the dangers of heavy snow.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01The snow we saw in February was as bad as we've seen for many years
0:36:01 > 0:36:03and bad weather like that has inherent dangers.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07People need to think carefully about whether they really need to travel,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10about the activities that they're doing in the snow
0:36:10 > 0:36:13and they need to think about people around them that might
0:36:13 > 0:36:16need some extra help, such as the housebound or the elderly.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24It's now six months on and are the boys more aware
0:36:24 > 0:36:27of the dangers of such extreme weather?
0:36:27 > 0:36:31Obviously, we'll take more precautions next time,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34but we had fun, it's all about having fun with your friends.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38This hasn't affected me much, I'm not scared to sledge again,
0:36:38 > 0:36:43I'll do it again, but we just assumed that was perfectly smooth
0:36:43 > 0:36:47so from now on I want to check what's on the hill
0:36:47 > 0:36:49and make sure it's safe to sledge on.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54These thrill-seeking boys obviously like living life on the edge,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57but let's hope next time they'll think twice before trifling with
0:36:57 > 0:36:59the effects of extreme weather.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14Back to Hawnby in North Yorkshire where, in June 2005,
0:37:14 > 0:37:19dramatic thunderstorms caused flash floods to engulf the area.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24Ray Yoward and his late wife, Mary, were caught up in the worst of it
0:37:24 > 0:37:28as five foot of floodwater immersed their home and boarding kennels.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37But the day after the floods, the water levels had dropped
0:37:37 > 0:37:40and it was heartbreaking for Ray to see what was left
0:37:40 > 0:37:43of his once thriving business and home.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47There was nothing to see but mud and devastation.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52Possessions were in the hedges, they were up in the trees
0:37:52 > 0:37:56and it was just like a wasteland.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00All my fences were flattened,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02the pen was down on the floor,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06the sheds had gone, taken with the water,
0:38:06 > 0:38:12furniture, pictures on the walls.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Every possession, clothes in wardrobes,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18everything just gone, just filthy...
0:38:20 > 0:38:23..and it was just a disaster.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29It wasn't just Ray's kennels business that lay in tatters.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33The flash floods that hit the North Yorkshire Moors
0:38:33 > 0:38:37are estimated to have cost tens of millions of pounds in damages.
0:38:37 > 0:38:3932 houses were wrecked
0:38:39 > 0:38:42and numerous cars swept away by gushing floodwaters.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47Nine people were rescued after climbing trees and roofs
0:38:47 > 0:38:50to escape the rising water and a further nine people
0:38:50 > 0:38:54reported missing overnight were found safe and sound.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57The damage to Ray's kennels was irreparable
0:38:57 > 0:39:00and because of their proximity to the River Rye,
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Ray was forced to relocate his home and business further up the hill
0:39:04 > 0:39:07so something like this could never happen again.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09- Look at the drop.- Yeah!
0:39:09 > 0:39:13How far down the hill it actually is.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Four years after the nightmare floods,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Ray's taking me down the hill and back to his original house
0:39:19 > 0:39:22and kennels by the river where it all happened.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24So this was your home?
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Yes, it was. This is where... You're looking at this side here,
0:39:27 > 0:39:31there was the office and so forth and there were sheds down this side.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35And tell me, how far did the...? Now, when you first came out,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39- it was just sort of ankle deep, wasn't it?- Yes.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42- But how far up did it come? - It was about there.- Really!
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Yes. In fact, in some places you can still see the watermark,
0:39:46 > 0:39:47but it was up to there,
0:39:47 > 0:39:51so it was coming straight in through the windows, through the doors.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53It didn't break the windows, then?
0:39:53 > 0:39:56It did break some of the windows. I'll show you the broken windows.
0:39:56 > 0:40:01The interior of the house was also ravaged in the flash floods.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04The force of the water running through the rooms ruined
0:40:04 > 0:40:08personal possessions and left walls and furniture covered in mud.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12Within minutes, years of happy memories were destroyed,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15memories of Ray's wife, Mary,
0:40:15 > 0:40:19who sadly died six months after the traumatic events.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23So you must have mixed emotions sometimes?
0:40:23 > 0:40:26I mean, standing here now talking about it,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28looking at the exact spot where the kennels were,
0:40:28 > 0:40:33- is that right, mixed emotions? - Yeah, there are mixed emotions.
0:40:33 > 0:40:38The basic emotion that I have is that my wife's gone,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40it's as simple as that.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45It doesn't mean nearly as much to me with having no-one to share it with.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50Yep. Oh!
0:40:51 > 0:40:54It's been a terribly sad time for Ray,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58but he's rebuilt his boarding kennels in memory of Mary,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01whose dream it was to care for animals she loved so much.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04What's different about these kennels?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Well, for a start they're 50 foot above the river.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10- OK.- So we aren't going to get flooded.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13They've been built with a French drain all the way round them
0:41:13 > 0:41:17so that the water, any water running off the hillside goes into the drain,
0:41:17 > 0:41:20round the kennels and down the hill into the river,
0:41:20 > 0:41:22so we aren't going to get any water in the kennels.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26They're all nicely insulated, they're all double the size
0:41:26 > 0:41:31they were down below so there's room if someone's got maybe three dogs,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34they've got kennels that are big enough to put three dogs in.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37Ha-ha! Who's this? He's gorgeous!
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- That's Jake.- Is he a poodle?
0:41:40 > 0:41:43No, he's not a poodle, he's an Irish Water Spaniel,
0:41:43 > 0:41:47and he was just clipped before he came in. He's a regular, yes.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50So what's it like now coming into these kennels?
0:41:50 > 0:41:53You must feel an enormous sense of achievement?
0:41:53 > 0:41:56- Oh, yes!- Because they were wrecked, weren't they?
0:41:56 > 0:41:57They were absolutely wrecked.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02So if you were to have a similar downpour as you did back in 2005?
0:42:02 > 0:42:03It would just run off,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06it would just run off and there'd be no problem whatsoever.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09I mean, we've had several heavy storms since
0:42:09 > 0:42:11and there's been no effect whatsoever.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14The water just runs down the hill into the river.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16You look very happy about that, don't you?
0:42:16 > 0:42:20He's lovely, aren't you? You're a beautiful boy, yes!
0:42:20 > 0:42:24The vicious thunderstorm and flash floods that hit
0:42:24 > 0:42:28the North Yorkshire Moors is something Ray will never forget,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31but with his kennels on higher ground now,
0:42:31 > 0:42:33at least he'll be out of the danger zone
0:42:33 > 0:42:36should Britain's extreme weather strike here again.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Good boy! That's very good.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47Thankfully, these people survived the effects of extreme weather.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51Join us next time for more amazing stories on Living Dangerously.
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