The emergency caused by flooding and further severe rain last weekend brought some unexpected help for one affected forecourt.
The Gulf-branded Datchet Green Service Station near Slough had nearly been flooded earlier in the week and was facing an inundation from the River Thames when local residents volunteered their help.
Luckily the site is not far from Windsor Castle, and local residents in this case included Prince William, Prince Harry and members of the Household Cavalry Regiment, who were on hand to help build sandbag defences which kept the floodwaters at bay.
Their intervention helped to limit damage to the site, and meant that manholes stayed firm and product contamination was averted.
Bilal Naeem, manager of the site, said they were forced to close by rising flood levels on Monday February 10th when the road was closed by police. However, despite the water continuing to rise through the week, and advancing across the forecourt, it did not come in the shop.
He said the wall of sandbags had prevented water getting into the tanks, and the royal involvement had created quite a stir among customers.
Bilal said: “We reopened on Monday and all the customers have been coming in and saying they have seen us on every single news channel because of the coverage of the princes.”
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