PICTURES by Phil Micheu

RESIDENTS of Towyn, Kinmel Bay and beyond gathered to commemorate thirty years since the Town was heavily affected by flooding.

St Mary’s Church - one of the many buildings affected by the flooding - hosted a special service to mark the poignant occasion on Sunday.

The floods of February 26, 1990, saw 5000 people evacuated from their homes when high tides and extreme weather broke down sea defences, causing flooding to many low-lying coastal homes located in the area.

The event had lasting impact on the towns, with Princess Diana returning to St Mary’s in October that year after a visit with Prince Charles at the time of the floods.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the devastation, residents and dignitaries – including AM’s, MP’s and mayors from across North Wales – came together at St Mary’s on Sunday.

Towyn and Kinmel Bay mayor cllr Morris Jones said: “I have been asked over the last few days why would people want to commentate or remember the day. This can only be viewed on a personal level as everyone copes with difficulties, trauma in their own way.

“We have put together pictures of the floods, pictures of Towyn and Kinmel Bay in years gone by going back to the early 1900s and some time further back than that.”

“We have newspaper cuttings of the floods with Princess Diana visiting the area, including St Mary’s Church, Towyn, were she had her photograph taken with a member of the church, also the visitors book signed by Princess Diana.”

In addition to the service, an exhibition of pictures and newspaper clippings, launched at the event, is now open to the public every day at the church until Sunday from 10am until 4pm.

The town council is also inviting residents with archive material to display items within the church .

Alongside remembering the past, the significant anniversary for Towyn has also placed new challenges facing flood defences in the area today into sharper focus.

In the aftermath of Storm Ciara earlier this month, waves topped the defences, flooding gardens and roads westwards from Woodside Avenue to the Golden Sands Holiday Park.

While there was ultimately no damage to the holiday park – it remained closed for 48 hours as a safety precaution – each of the 45 caravans had be evacuated, with holiday makers receiving being offered compensation.

The service at St Mary’s brought people of all ages together, many of whom had experienced first hand the devastation that the floods caused in Towyn.

Barry Griffiths’, chief flood warden for Towyn and Kinmel Bay, remembers seeing rolling waves of sea water in the place of grass fields.

He said: “The street and gardens were flooded. I swept water out of the garage that is lower than the rest of the property and we thought we had been lucky. Then more little waves rolled in and the water level started to rise quickly. We waded out and evacuated.

“My wife Lynda saw the water flow across our lounge floor as she closed the door; there were inflatable boats and a helicopter along our avenue.T he wind picked up, it got colder the water was freezing and about three feet deep.

“After the flood, we had to throw out almost everything. I found a way of recovering printed photos. The destruction of our home was nothing compared to the stress of managing recovery.”

Mr Griffiths explained that,for about three weeks, his family had to stay with friends near St Asaph, before renting a house in Bodfari. The family, like many displaced by the floods, were forced to live in a caravan in the garden until repair work was complete in October 1990.

He attended the service on Sunday alongside his wife Lynda. The pair have lived in the same home on Dulas Avenue, Kinmel Bay for the last 40 years.

Talking about the service, he added: "We attended to remember the event, my wife helped Cllr Morris Jones and Rev Jan with arrangements and I gave a brief talk at the service as a flood survivor.

"We moved out of our home as flood water entered and we were out for eight months undergoing repairs. We know of friends who died of anxiety and how today people live in fear of flooding.

"I would like to think this anniversary prompts local authorities to recognise that our coastal and river defences are not adequate, particularly in the face of climate change and the more frequent extreme weather conditions we are now experiencing."

In his talk at St Mary's, Mr Griffiths mentioned that, through Cllr Geoff Corry, AM Darren Miller and council leader Cllr Sam Rowlands, efforts are being made to re-establish the Morfa Rhuddlan Flood Partnership.

This is a vital multi-agency forum inviting Natural Resource Wales, Conwy County Borough Council and residents of Towyn and Kinmel Bay, Pensarn and Belgrano, to a discussion so that they "don’t have to live in fear" when flood prevention strategies are available.

Mr Griffiths added: "We have clear risks from the Clwyd and Coast which must be addressed before there is another flood, not after; we would like to quickly commence serious discussion with the aim of identifying the measures necessary for our community to thrive for future generations."