Flats hit by flood woe

Residents of a West Bromwich tower block spent the night in hotels after hundreds of gallons of water flooded the building.

People living in 32 flats in Broome House, Charlemont Farm, were evacuated.

A faulty valve at the top of the eight-storey block burst at around 4pm yesterday, sending water down the stairwell and through the homes below.

Firefighters and Sandwell Homes engineers battled to stop the flow. The electricity supply was cut while the valve was repaired and the mopping-up process began.

Fed-up resident Patrick Stokes, aged 36, was forced out of his home which he shares with wife Tracey, 31, and three-year-old son Joshua. They spent the night in the Royal Hotel, Walsall.

He said: "It's unsettling for Joshua having to move and we're not sure how long we'll be away. I want to know how much damage has been done to my home and who is responsible."

Resident Russell Reynolds, aged 40, said: "It's ridiculous. My girlfriend is a diabetic and she needs to eat at regular times."

The water flooded through the top tier flats and along the stairwells.

Station officer Tex Avery, of West Bromwich fire station said: "The water was flowing for about 20 minutes and I would say in that time about 1,000 gallons of water came down from top to bottom." A spokesman for Sandwell Homes declined to comment.