Bikes Looted And Hundreds Destroyed: Flooded Shop Owners Left Counting The Cost

By Jenny Wotherspoon Location: Newburn
play video

Devastated retailers wade through flood waters to recover their stock

Shop owners in Newcastle are discovering for the first time the extent of the damage caused by floods and looters.

Finally allowed inside their inundated shops, bike retailer Keith Bradley and bridal shop owner Julie Watson are each salvaging what they can from the Old Fire Station building in Newburn.

After digging through 5ft of mud and debris to get to the front door, staff at KB Cycles discovered more than 250 bikes had been damaged by flood water.

Thieves who broke in through an upstairs window of the building stole more than £5,000 worth of bikes and parts.

The losses included top of the range carbon fibre bikes and more than 20 medium-priced cycles from a rack on the 1st floor.

What remains is covered in rust and silt and is unlikely to be salvaged.

Mr Bradley said: "I'm still very, very angry, but what can we do, we just have to get on with it."

Both shop owners have found new premises, with Mr Bradley moving to a site in Blaydon.

It could take up to six months before they can return to the building, which is still surrounded by almost 7ft of flood waters.

The High Street will be cordoned offf until the remaining water has been drained from the site, when repair work will begin on the building.

Sky Go Additional Benefits

Related stories

Are you still recovering from the effects of the floods?

More from News

Most popular