Waimea Weekly
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Your Community Newspaper
Wednesday 1 May 2013
Guy is NZ’s top brewer
We’re Open
Page 5
Derby goes down to the wire
Page 18
Page 27
Family lose everything A family of four lost all of their possessions during last Sunday’s flood and do not have insurance to claim on any of it. Lee Cole was holding back tears when he described the moment he and his partner Hayley Lincoln had to climb out of the window with daughters Ella, 7, and Abbie, 3, just to get to safety, before returning to save what he could within the space of half an hour. “It was just heart breaking.
Phillip Rollo Reporter
editorial@waimeaweekly.co.nz The first couple of days after were just surreal with the stress, knowing we don’t have anything for the girls. It was like the whole world was coming down on you.” He says the young family was just “chill-
ing out” in the living room when the flood started on Sunday evening. He first noticed a drain outside “bubbling up”. “It just started rising up and both our neighbours were a bit worried. Once it started coming down the driveway we knew we were screwed. I thought it was going to drain off but it just sat there. Once it was in the backyard there was no where for it to go except for into the house and
that’s when we started freaking.” Lee, who says the whole family is now living in his mother’s two bedroom house, grabbed towels and blankets and began stacking them near the doors, hoping to barricade the home. “I thought I was holding it off, until I heard the girls scream. I ran into the lounge and they were standing SEE PAGE 2
The Nelson Bays Harmony Chorus performs at Club Waimea ahead of the New Zealand women’s barbershop singing competition in Queenstown this weekend. The 37 members of the chorus have been working towards the contest for months, with visiting coaches helping polish the two songs which will be entered. Photo: Phillip Rollo.
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