A Powys couple have been left trapped in their home after flooding from a nearby ditch has caused nearly foot deep water to "cascade" across their property.

Alison Bamford and her husband have been dealing with water gushing across their home when it rains, despite them highlighting the issue more than six months ago.

The water runs off a ditch beside a major trunk road, the A483, and has left them unable to leave their property, and with their driveway torn to pieces.

The Welsh Government has said it has planted trees in a ditch that floods nearby, and it says in time will help alleviate the issue - but the couple say that has actually caused the flooding in the first place.

“As a result of a lack of ditch maintenance and the trunk road authority planting trees in the ditch every time it rains in a slightly heavy manner we get a cascade of water coming past,” said Mrs Bamford, of Beulah Road in Llanwrtyd Wells.

“It’s torn away the driveway down to the stone. We can’t get the car out of the driveway and we can’t get the doors open in the morning. We’ve had to call the fire brigade on at least two occasions.

“We have had absolutely no help from the appropriate authorities.”

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The couple have been in touch with multiple figures yet the issue has remained unresolved having no response from Powys Council, James Evans MS or Lee Waters MS who deals with such matters in his role in the Welsh government.

“The ditch was perfectly dry when we moved into the house in 2019 but trees were planted a couple of years ago and the trigger is becoming less and less as the ditch is becoming less and less functional,” said Mrs Bamford.

“It was six inches earlier today, it’s slightly cleared up but it is still pouring down the drive. We have put sandbags in front of both of our doors. We couldn’t open the door this morning without letting the water in.”

“The floor is wet in the property so evidently the after table is pretty high. Everything is quite damp as a result, which wasn’t the case when we moved in. I daren’t call the insurance company.”

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The couple got in contact with their MP, Fay Jones. She in turn raised the issue with Welsh Transport Minister Lee Waters who contacted the couple.

He told them: “The saplings planted should help to attenuate the water flows in the area rather than add to any flooding concerns especially when they are fully grown.

“The knotweed highlighted is part of the ongoing treatment programme and it does take several years for the treatments to take effect, but this will be monitored and inspected by our agent, the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent. There is some highway drainage that discharges into the watercourse. This is an historical feature and there is no local alternative to divert the highway drainage.

“There are clearly several issues here and I think the best way forward would be for my officials to meet on site to discuss them with Mr and Mrs Bamford.”

Fay Jones voiced her outrage on the couple’s behalf, adding: “There is no justification for the way the Welsh Government is ignoring Mr and Mrs Bamford. 

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“The A483 is the responsibility of NMWTRA who report to Welsh Government.  It’s appalling that since contacting Lee Waters office in March, Mr and Mrs Bamford have made no progress whatsoever. 

“They are living under the threat of flooding and we are about to embark on another winter with nothing done. I have written to the Minister again to urge him to prioritise this case so this poor couple can get they help they desperately need.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson responded to an enquiry from the County Times and said: “We are working with the land owner to look at options to resolve this issue.”