HOUSEHOLDERS have praised firefighters and criticised local councils over their responses to a flood which threatened homes on Christmas Day.
Several inches of water had gathered in The Old Street, Fetcham, following a heavy downpour which sent residents scuttling for the sandbags on December 22.
The water had not completely drained away by Christmas morning, when torrential rain caused knee-deep water to collect in the road and begin creeping up paths and driveways.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said her husband tried calling several Mole Valley District Council phone numbers without answer, forcing him to call the fire brigade at 9am.
She said: "We were supposed to go to London that morning but we cancelled everything because of the water. It ruined Christmas Day.
"It was very worrying for us but it was worse for our neighbour. The water was just an inch away from her door.
"But the firemen were very good. They did a good job, bless them. It was their Christmas too."
Leatherhead firefighters spent five hours pumping water away after using a boom to stop it streaming down from School Lane.
Householder Louisa Richter von Morgenstern said the "fantastic" firefighters had saved her house from flooding.
She said: "The people who attended and mucked in were absolutely brilliant. There was a great team spirit and camaraderie."
The downpour disrupted her plans for a quiet Christmas with her mother, Barbara, who arrived at the house on the back of a burly firefighter.
She added: "The water isn't going anywhere because the drainage system has collapsed. The county council has jetted it but it hasn't cleared it. This flooded four or five years ago and they were supposed to carry out work on the drains and they didn't. It does make me cross because the council knows the drainage is an issue here."
Tim Hall, Surrey county councillor for Leatherhead and Fetcham East, said: "It's difficult to judge whether this is the same problem as five years ago. This may be something new."
Mole Valley District Council said it can be called 24 hours a day on its emergency number: 01372 204500.
