PORLOCK residents showed their Dunkirk Spirit last week when they took up their towels to dam a torrent of water which was cascading through a local shop.

Around 18 villagers armed themselves with blankets, pillows and towels to try and prevent the Garden Room florist from being completely submerged when a water main burst in the main street.

They worked tirelessly to try and minimise the damage, while local firefighters were on the scene within minutes.

The drama unfolded when florist Jackie Fry realised water was pouring through the downstairs wall of her home and out the back door.

Her partner Richard Growden raced to the front of the florist's to find a scene of utter devastation - a water main had burst in High Street and water was pumping under the door of the Garden Room and into the shop.

He immediately called South West Water and the fire brigade in the hope the latter would be able to save the business.

He said: "From the time I called the fire brigade to them arriving, it took just nine minutes.

"Local people were already trying to stop the water rising any further. At one point there were 18 people with towels and blankets trying to stop the water rising into the second part of the shop."

A local coal merchant even helped out by using bags of coal as a dam, but the torrent was too strong and overwhelmed the best efforts' of the villagers.

The fire brigade took over the damage limitation, pumping water out of the shop until an inspector from the water company arrived and turned off the supply.

A team of workmen soon followed and began digging up the road to find the source of the problem - leaving villagers without water until the early hours of the following morning and Ms Fry and Mr Growden with a massive clean-up operation.

Mr Growden added: "Unfortunately, water finds its own course and it found a path right through the front door and out the back door.

"It is the damage it's left behind; damp walls, damaged stock and a lot of cleaning-up to do.

"Jackie has spent four years building this country florist style shop that people came from far and wide to visit.

"It will now be closed for at least five weeks so that everything can be dried out."

The couple said they were "sincerely thankful" to everyone who had helped in their hour of need and said all the blankets, pillows and towels used had now been either dry cleaned or replaced.

Anyone who would like to reclaim their flood-fighting supplies should contact Mr Growden at Antlers Pet Supplies.