A CITY hotel has opened its doors to Worcester residents who have been forced to leave their homes due to extensive flooding across the county.

The Fownes hotel is currently providing twelve rooms to flood victims who have been referred to the hotel by Worcester City Council and Sanctuary Housing.

Assistant manager Julie Merrick said: “I have been here for 14 years and I have never seen flooding to this extent before. We are very sympathetic to those who have lost their homes and belongings and are very happy to be able to accommodate them.

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“Despite everything they have been through they are really lovely people to have staying with us. We are getting to know them all quite well now at dinner and breakfast and such.”

The hotel is not currently affected by flooding, unlike the Severn View hotel and the Diglis hotel. She added: “Our thoughts are with the other independent hotels that have been affected, especially those at the Diglis, we work closely with them and they are going through a fair amount of turmoil.

“The chefs here at the Fownes made them some cakes and took them over there just to show that we were thinking of them.”

“We are trying to keep everything as normal as we can, we don’t know how long this will last. We just have to keep watching the river levels and listening to the advice from the council.

Ade Cartwright, 50, and his family were forced to leave their Diglis Avenue home when it became apparent they would flood again. They have been at the Fownes for four days.

He said: “ We are managing but it is difficult living in one room together, 24 hours a day!”