A RYEDALE pensioner told today how his wife has never recovered from the trauma of seeing their home wrecked by flooding.

Peter Mooring revealed that his wife, Phyllis, suffered a stroke shortly after their home in Welham Road, Norton, was inundated in March last year.

He is convinced that the stress caused by the flooding was to blame, and thinks she never really recovered from the ordeal of seeing their home and belongings destroyed.

The 81-year-old Second World War veteran was speaking out in support of the Evening Press Save Ryedale From Flooding campaign.

"I hope the campaign is a success, and I am pleased to give it my support," he said.

"It is certainly an issue that the people around here feel strongly about, and doing something is definitely better than nothing.

"I just hope it is followed through to the end and something is done about it."

Mr Mooring said he and Phyllis dealt with the tragedy well initially, but not long after the water drained away she was hit by the stroke.

Phyllis is currently being treated in Scarborough Hospital after another stroke last week, and is expected to be released next week.

"I joined the Army one day after my 19th birthday and went away to war not long after, fighting in Syria, Palestine and at El Alamein - so a bit of water coming into the house is of no concern to me.

"In fact, at times I compared the flood with winning the lottery, as although we lost a lot of things, the insurance people were excellent and replaced it all, some things we didn't even know we had, and all brand new, which was lovely.

"I thought Phyllis had dealt with it just as well, but she was hit with the stroke at the end of March last year - not long after the water had drained away - and she has been deteriorating ever since. It must have hit her harder than we thought."

For more on this story see 'Painful legacy'