The landlord of the Wheatsheaf in Wilton, Dave Marriott, using a dehumidifier to dry out the pub after the flood.

The fact that the majority of the district escaped relatively lightly following the country's worst flooding for half a century comes as little consolation for Dave and Sue Marriott.

Just nine months into their tenure of the Wheatsheaf pub in Wilton the week's freak rainstorms left the bar, restaurant and kitchen areas immersed in four inches of dirty water.

The final few regulars were just starting to file out into the downpour when a torrent of water poured down from the car park and in through the back of the pub.

Dave said: "Suddenly we were hit by what seemed like a tidal wave."

"We're absolutely gutted," said Sue, who lives above the pub with her husband. "Having only started here in February we were just starting to get the business established. And now this comes along.

"The drains just couldn't cope with the volume of water and wet leaves flowing into them. They all seemed to block at once."