A FAMILY are still stranded in their home during heavy rainfall, despite numerous complaints to Reading Borough Council.

Reading experienced a bout of heavy rainfall last week, following a lengthy dry spell.

While the rain was welcomed by some, it wasn’t so well received by the Murdoch family, who had to wade through inches of rain water to get out of their front door in St Peter’s Road, Earley.

Joanne Murdoch, who has complained to Reading Borough Council several times about the flooding, most recently in June, said she is fed up with herself and her family being stuck inside whenever there is a downpour.

The mother-of-five said her children can’t get outside to play, and she and her husband can’t get to their cars which are parked on the road.

“We are just stuck inside. Our cars are parked around the corner so you can’t get to them unless you want soaking wet feet and want to wade through dirty, smelly rain water. It always smells because everything comes up from the drains.”

The council said they had carried out gully works in the area earlier in the year, adding they would continue to monitor the situation.

The council also committed to visiting the site to look at taking further measures to reduce the risk of flooding to Mrs Murdoch’s home.

But the 46-year-old said she is yet to see any changes. Mrs Murdoch said: “It’s still regular, I haven’t seen the council at all, as far as I know they haven’t come down here and done anything.”

Mrs Murdoch feels particularly bad for the nearby florist, adding that waves of water were pouring up to the shops when cars drove along the road.

Helen Belcher, store manager at Forget Me Nots florist, said: “We are marooned with water. It happens every time there is heavy rainfall. If a car goes past it’s like a tidal wash.

"It’s dreadful when we get heavy rain because the water comes up from the drains.” A spokesman for Reading Borough Council said: “ We sympathise with the householder and shop owner and thank her for sending in the video of the recent flooding.

"Officers have visited the area and checked the gullies but it appears from the video footage that the problem may lie with the water sewer capacity.

"The council will contact Thames Water about these concerns as the fact the water drained within minutes suggests the gullies are clear and working as they should.”