BUSINESSES in Mawgan Porth are counting the cost after being flooded on Saturday morning following Storm Ingrid.

Cornish Fresh, Beach Box Café, Kingsurf and the Bearded Brewery are among the shops that been affected following the heavy rainfall, which caused the River Menalhl to burst its banks.

Several cars in the car park have been submerged by the flood water.

Katherne Roberts from Betty’s News said: “Mawgan Porth has been partially flooded.

‘The car park behind Betty’s News and out the front is flooded. It been caused by the heavy rain and the river bursting its banks. The field is also flooded, which is running into the river as well.

“Cornish Fresh is flooded and the ice cream shop but Betty’s News is ok because we are higher up. I think if we get any more heavy rain it is going to get worse.”

Tom Hurley added: “I was driving to work and stopped to get a coffee from the Cornish Fresh place as normal and the road was all flooded all around the shop and inside the shop there was nothing I could really do to help and the owners were there I felt so sorry for them there all really nice in there.”

Mawgan Porth Village Hall, which was badly damaged in the “catastrophic” flooding in March 25, 2024, looks to have been saved after flood precautions were implemented during the repairs.

Peter Abell from Kingsurf said: “We have had flooded damage. Water came into the building and some of the clothing has been damaged. I managed to get down there quite quickly to prevent further damage.

“The village hall which was badly damaged in the flood two years has been saved as flood resistant doors were installed during the repairs and the electrics were put in above ground level.”

The road outside Dairyland has been blocked off after a car broke down after being submerged in floodwater.

Mawgan Porth has been flooded several times in recent years. The low-lying Mawgan Porth floods primarily due to a combination of heavy,, intense rainfall, high-tide constraints, and the overtopping of the River Menalhyl, often exacerbated by a large accumulation of sand and shingle at its mouth. The river can breach its banks when intense rain coincides with high tides, preventing water from draining into the sea.

Residents called for a flood prevention scheme to be installed following the flooding in 2024.

Villagers also set up the Mawgan Porth Flood Group, which sees wardens go out during a flood get get rid of any debris under the bridge and help direct traffic.

Mr Abell, who is one of the wardens said: “Flooding is becoming a regular occurrence.

“A few things could be done that could help. There are a few drains that are blocked and the river does not allow the drain flaps to open.

“The river needs to be dredged. It gets blocked under the footbridge. If the river was deeper the river would flow better. That is all up the Environment Agency.

“The storm drainage pump does not work very well and overflows when it rains heavily. The pump is not efficient enough to deal with that amount of water.”