Hawick floods: ‘Our sofa was floating in the water’

They were renting the property in the town’s Commercial Road while their own home is being renovated. Much of their belongings was packed away in boxes.

Mrs Gillespie said: “When we got the flood warning we started moving stuff upstairs. About teatime the river came right over the wall and flooded the road. The next time we looked it was half-way across the car park.

“We were still desperately trying to move as much stuff as we could. Then it just started pouring in the door.

“We had to go upstairs. The electricity went off and the burglar alarm started beeping. We just had to stay in the bedroom, but we had candles.

“The water came up to the fourth step on the stairs. It was above the radiators and the sofa was floating about in it.

“The water was all black. I can’t say how horrible it is – it’s absolutely disgusting, like a silt or sludge. Downstairs is completely ruined.”