AFTER more than a decade of being there - day and night - for anxious residents, the chairman of a successful flood action group has stood down.

Sue Cashmore has been at the helm of Cockermouth Flood Action Group for 13 years.

During that time she has supported her community tirelessly, worked so hard to ensure positive changes are made and travelled the country sharing her expertise.

Alongside this she has been working as an advanced nurse practitioner at the town’s surgery and had to deal with the horrors of her own Gote Road home flooding - four times.

Sue said: “We have achieved some great things as a group. They’re dredging this week in Cockermouth. That was one of our big achievements, getting a gravel removal policy set up.

“Every two years they assess the levels, without prompting. That’s a good legacy to leave.”

The group was set up to lobby for change. They also helped raised vital funds and many flood prevention measures are now in place as a result: the bund at the back of Gote Road, defences on the River Derwent and the rising barrier at Rubby Banks Road.

But as well as physical changes which were needed, Sue has had hours and hours of meetings with a whole range of groups, in order to establish good working relations with so many people.

“When we first started the relationship with the Environment Agency was poor.

“We got a group together which included civil engineering professionals and we went to the EA, not shouting and banging the table but saying we want to work with you, we know our town and have professional drawings.

"They realised we could work together, that was key. That relationship is still there.”

She also worked closely with Keswick and Workington Flood Action Groups and the regional one.

“That community voice is so important, I’ve done lots of presentations around the country, to other groups," she said.

"I always viewed flooding as a jigsaw and wanted to bring all the elements together. I told United Utilities, the EA and Highways we all needed to work together and they do now. You need a joined-up approach."

The group pushed to find a solution to the insurance issue, so people can now get affordable insurance for homes at risk of flooding

“I had a belief and passion and felt changes could be made, as a group we could do that," said Sue. "Although there is still a lot to do."

Over the years she has spent hours and hours walking alongside the river so she could update the popular Facebook page which was set up to try and help allay people’s anxieties when bad weather hit.

“People can get very scared when we have heavy rain, it’s nice to be able to reassure them," she said.

The Facebook posts and support will continue thanks to Cockermouth Emergency Response Group, which was set up after the 2015 floods. Sue has been working alongside them.

"I feel CERG is a really great group and am happy to hand the reins over. I will still be there in the background and happy to help," said Sue, who is grateful for the support of members of the flood group.

"I also really appreciate the support I have had from the community," she said. The feeling is clearly mutual.

CERG co-ordinator Jo Crozier said: "Sue has turned out in fair weather and foul to check rivers, supporting our team without question, even when working.

"She’s very measured and calm and gives sane, sensible advice, offering reassurance to nervous people

"We used her expertise when setting up CERG, what we needed to focus on and prioritise. She shared all her knowledge

"The town is in a stronger position thanks to all her hard work, her links with the EA and lobbying."