Memories of the flood damage that hit much of Branscombe can finally wash away as the National Trust completes �12,500 worth of repairs.

The countryside organisation went above and beyond in helping the village to recover, tackling patches of land that were not even in its remit.

National Trust head ranger, Pete Blyth, said: “We didn’t have to do it but we did, as a gesture of solidarity with the community.”

Pathways were washed out and trees were downed, requiring many tonnes of rubble and sand to resurface.

Areas such as Parson Lane, where there was an ambiguity about who the owner is, were repaired, at the expense of the National Trust.

“That little river that flows through our village turned into a raging torrent,” said Peter.

They removed stones that would have caused further flooding and inserted gabions – cages filled with rocks – to divert water away from the forge and the National Trust offices, should further flooding occur. The trust also invested in sand bags for the parish council, again as a commitment to the community, aided by a generous donation of �1,500 from the Axe Valley National Trust Members Centre.