1. ​

   Dean and Joanne Harrison with Natalie, 12, and Jack, seven, are still living in a caravan

2. ​

   Clearing up at the Harrison's west Hull home

3. ​

   The Harrison's caravan

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Exactly a year since floods devastated the region, the Mail

today calls on everyone to remember those who still cannot

return home.

Despite 12 months having past since the June 25 deluge a

staggering 1,476 households in Hull and 750 in the East Riding

are being forced to live in caravans and other temporary

accommodation.

Today the Mail launches its Back Home campaign in a bid

speed up the return of flood hit families to their

properties.

The rising flood waters destroyed possessions, wrecked

kitchens and ruined carpets in thousands of homes leaving them

uninhabitable.

Some were forced to live upstairs in their own homes, but

many others had to move into caravans as builders arrived to

rip out damp plaster and sodden wiring.

But with so many people affected the workload on builders

and insurance companies has been huge and has seen repairs drag

on for months and months.

Now as the Government commissioned report into the flooding

across the country, is made public its author, Sir Michael

Pitt, has also called for action.

He said: “I want to see more done, I think the one thing

that really sticks in my mind and continues to concern me is

the fact several thousand families are still displaced from

their homes and I think it's very hard to appreciate the degree

of hardship that is involved.”

And his comments were echoed by one family still living in a

cramped caravan in Hull.

The Harrison family who live in Wold Road, west Hull said

“enough is enough” and say its now time they were able to move

back into their house.

Joanne Harrison, 34 said: “Living in a caravan has been a

total nightmare.

“I just can't wait to move back into the house, it is the

only thing that is keeping me going.

“We've been told it could be about five weeks until the

house is ready and that has given me my get up and go again,

because before that I lost all motivation and was really down

with it all.

“We got the caravan at the start because we thought we could

cope for about six months, we never imagined we would still be

here a year later.

“Unless people have been flooded themselves they just cannot

possibly understand what it has been like for those who

have."

Mail editor John Meehan, launching the campaign, said: “We

need to make sure that as much as possible is done to help

those still forced to live in caravans.

“A year has passed and we must not forget how they still

suffering the effects of June 25 last year.”

And he added: “Everyone needs to work together to make sure

those still affected by this disaster can at least get back

into their own homes as soon as possible.”

City council leader Carl Minns said he supported the Mail's

new campaign too.

He said: “It is important these people are not

forgotten.

“There might be many reasons why they are not yet able to

move back into their homes, but that shouldn't be an

excuse.

“As a council we will be doing everything we can to offer

help and support for people in this situation.”

And his comments were backed by East Riding Council leader

Stephen Parnaby.

He said: “We will do anything in our power to get people

back into their homes.

“I know first-hand how distressing it is to be flooded how

important it is for the hundreds of families who are still

displaced to get back in their houses as soon as possible.

“Most of those who are still displaced may be having

problems with their insurance companies or getting their

properties dried out.

“We will contact those companies and loss adjusters to try

and help in any way we can and see if we can not sort any

problems out.”

Meanwhile Floods recovery minister John Healey also backed

the Mail's campaign.

He said: “Across the country there are still thousands of

uninhabitable homes and we all need to do more to get these

people back into their homes.

“By and large there has been a good response to what was an

extraordinary event, but there have been delays and I have

spoken to many people in Hull who are still not in a position

to move back in.

“Living in a caravan for two weeks might be nice when you

are on holiday but living in one for 12 months would test

anyone's patience to the limit.

“That's why I welcome this campaign and some of the specific

recommendations of today's Pitt Review into the floods which

directly address this issue.”

Mr Healey said he would continue to put pressure on the

building and insurance industries to play their part in making

sure everything possible was being done to speed up the

remainder of outstanding refurbishments.

Sir Michael Pitt, the author of today's report, said he

wanted to encourage public debate over the issue.

“I think it is down to the leaders of councils and the chief

executives of councils to be quite outspoken if they believe

there are homes in their areas that could have been refurbished

and could have been returned to their families when for reasons

to do with inefficiency or ineffectiveness that is not taking

place, and so I see local government in a key role here,” he

said.

Among his recommendations is a call for the Government and

the Association of British Insurers to work together to explore

new technology capable of speeding up the drying out and

stabilisation process involved in post-flood refurbishment

work.

Are you still being forced to live in a caravan or

temporary accommodation? If so, the Mail may be able to help

you. Call the news desk on (01482) 315194 or email

"mailto:news@mailnewsmedia.co.uk">news@mailnewsmedia.co.uk.

Alternatively, call reporters Joanna Hunter on (01482) 315178

or email

"mailto:j.hunter@mailnewsmedia.co.uk">j.hunter@mailnewsmedia.co.uk

or Katy Wood on (01482) 315251 or

"mailto:k.wood@mailnewsmedia.co.uk">k.wood@mailnewsmedia.co.uk