IT WAS far from the moving in present Alison Penfold had wanted.

She was awoken yesterday morning by water gushing into the flat she had only moved into a week before.

But within minutes the Bitterne property was among half-a-dozen left more than a foot under water following storms.

The 47-year-old became one of the victims after overflowing drains caused water to cascade down into the block of flats.

An extensive clean up was quickly underway with First Wessex, the housing association in charge of the block, called in.

They spent hours clearing drains, sweeping water and putting up sandbags at the property in in Somerset Avenue, which is at the bottom of a hill.

But residents voiced fears that with another deluge the water could return.

Some even said they would not return to their flat for fear it will happen again as they understand this is not the first time this has happened.

Residents described how they found themselves knee deep in water within 10 minutes and were forced to leave and abandon what possessions they had been unable to move to higher ground.

“We literally had to run,” said healthcare support worker Alison, who was woken by neighbours banging on the door at around 6am on Saturday .

“There was nothing apart from gurgling. Then the water flooded in – it was like when you open a washing machine and it piles out.

“It was like that but 10 times worse. “The car park was engulfed in water and the road outside – it was just like a river.

“I feel terrible, shell-shocked, scared, worried. It’s a nightmare.”

Alison’s family photographs, still in a box waiting to be unpacked were also likely ruined, she said.

Daily Echo:

Heather White and husband Colin, 54, who have lived there four years, said within minutes their prized possessions were swimming in dirty water.

“We were grabbing what we could to lift up, we were wading in it. We couldn’t lift things up quick enough,” said Heather, 51, who described how the flats became 'like a moat', surrounded by water.

“It was quite frightening. “We didn’t know how much higher it was going to come up and we were worried about the electrics so we tried to get out as soon as possible.

“All our stuff was floating around us – our shoes everything.”

Heather estimated there was thousands of pounds worth of damage.

“I’m upset,” said the mother-of-two.

“It’s only furniture at you could say, but at the end of the day it’s everything we have built up together.

“I never thought this would happen – you hear of flooding in Devon and Somerset and feel sorry for them, but until it happens to you you don’t realise the depth of how horrible it is.”