Business is blooming
AU: Grantham flower grower rebuilds after devastating flood five years ago
The raging water took the lives of 12 people, the town was wrecked and the event was covered extensively by the media at the time with the harrowing images difficult to watch even five years on.
It was not just the town of Grantham but surrounding farmland and businesses which had extensive damage.
Local rose grower Derek Scholte had only just realised his dream of his own greenhouse and was actually away at his daughter's wedding when disaster struck and flooded his house and wiped out 12,000 rose bushes.
When Mr Scholte arrived back at the farm a week after the flood, he faced a terrible scene.
"It was a real shock [to see] how much damage there was and just how much rubbish and how much mud.
"I sat here by myself on the window sill out the front and just thought what am I going to do. I think that was the only moment that I felt a bit desperate."
Mr Scholte said he had made the decision even before seeing the flood damage for himself that he would rebuild and with much sweat and the help of some volunteers he got the job done.
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