THE bungalow home of Martin and Magda Teale for 37 years is one of 19 properties in Branksome Drive, Shipley, still vacant after the Boxing Day floods.

“It’s been devastating. We lost everything in the floods for the second time since we moved here and the grief it has caused us just really can’t be put into words,” said advertising designer Mr Teale, 63.

“We just watched the waters coming up and it was all we could do to get ourselves and our dog into the car and safely out of the street. The flood just came so quickly.

“It’s been so traumatic trying to cope day after day, especially for my wife, whose health has really suffered through all this.”

The Teale’s were fully insured for their smart bungalow when they were first flooded in 2000 and all losses were paid for by that policy.

But since then they were unable to get cover for the property which cost them £27,000, but was worth some £200,000 before this year’s tragedy which hit 21 homes in Branksome Drive close to the River Aire.

“I went to 61 different companies, but no-one would insure us,” Mr Teale said.

Now they are faced with a bill for some £21,000 to have the entire downstairs re-plastered, rewired throughout and and have a new boiler and heating system fitted.

“We are talking to our mortgage company and hoping to sort something out, but that’s far from certain,” Mr Teale said.