Drinkers rebuild flooded pub

A licensee who arrived home after a quadruple heart-bypass only to find his pub destroyed by 2ft of water has found help from his regulars.

Customers at the Sportsmans Arms in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, a local back street pub, decided they would chip in and do their part to get their local back in business after heavy rains, and help 60-year-old freeholder John Vale revive his livelihood.

And after two days of hard graft, Mr Vale's family and the locals had the pub up and running.

Mr Vale, who spent about a week in a specialist hospital near Cambridge, said: "All the locals knew what had happened. About 100 houses got flooded round here. It wasn't just me.

"They cleaned out everything, they washed out everything that had to be washed out, ready to start again. They're a good bunch of people. It makes me feel pretty good."

Although the pub has been open since last Tuesday, Mr Vale, a father of three and granddad of one, said there is still much work to be done before the pub is back to normal.

"It'll take a while," Mr Vale said. "The whole lot was ruined. New carpet is to be laid and seats have not yet been fitted."

He added: "Although most of it will be paid by the insurance, there's always excess. I'm not sure how much it will cost though. The bills are only coming in now."

Mr Vale's wife Christine, his children and four staff are running the pub while he recovers from the operation.