Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

When Zog Ziegler and his wife became marooned in their waterlogged Tirley home, help came from a friend famous for acts of derring-do.

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond, a close friend of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Gloucestershire's indomitable motoring correspondent, commandeered a boat and came to the couple's rescue.

The scale of the flooding had caught the Zieglers off guard.

"We expected maybe to get wet ankles," said Zog, "but not what's happened.

"Where we live talk is always about the 1947 flood; various buildings here have marks of its high tide. But this has blown 1947 away."

Zog had installed what he described as 'fancy pants' under-floor pumps in their riverside house, but these were soon overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water.

Determination

By Sunday morning they'd lost power, water, had no food and their house was increasingly submerged.

The water rose so quickly that there was no time to get cars out.

"It was horrendous to watch," said Zog. The couple piled prized possessions onto their large kitchen table, but as the waters rose even this threatened to float off.

Then Richard 'Hamster' Hammond called, announcing his intention to rescue the couple.

"His determination was extraordinary," said Zog, "he drove to Much Markle, borrowed an inflatable which proved to be punctured. Two hours later he called, saying 'I've got a wooden boat, I've got an engine, I'm wearing my wetsuit and I'm coming.

"He spent his whole day getting us out of there, and we're extremely grateful. We're now staying at Hammond Hall."

Despite their gratitude, Zog admitted a certain reluctance to return to his sodden home.

"Going back to the house is maybe when we're going to lose our fine British reserve," he said.