Woman 'loses everything' after coming home to find house ruined

A woman has “lost everything” after water from her pipes flooded her house.

Pauline Edmonds, 57, described herself as very “house proud” of her two-bedroom home in Woodingdean, where she had lived for nine years.

On Tuesday, June 17, she returned home from dog sitting for her daughter to find her house flooded with water.

Ms Edmonds said: “I went to my daughter’s to stay for the week. She was away on holiday, I was backwards and forwards.

“The last time I was at the house was June 11 and there were no problems.

“On Tuesday I opened the door and I was standing there trying to think ‘why are my feet all wet’.

Pauline's belongings have been water damaged (Image: Supplied) “Part of the ceiling was down. Water was flooding down the stairs, it was pouring down.”

Ms Edmonds ran to her neighbour’s house in tears, who turned off the water from the street, and was forced to return to her daughter’s house to stay there.

“Probably for five or six days the water was pouring into the house nonstop, that’s what they think,” Ms Edmonds added.

“Everything has been turned off now.

Pauline fears she will be unable to return to her home (Image: Supplied) “Everything, my whole life, is in that house.

“Every room is flooded.

“They’re thinking the house is going to be condemned.”

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It is believed that the main water pipe that connected to a tank in Ms Edmonds' attic had become disconnected and split, causing a huge leak.

Clarion Housing, who owns the property, has placed Ms Edmonds in a Travelodge close to her daughter as emergency accommodation.

Parts of Pauline's ceiling have collapsed (Image: Supplied) Ms Edmonds' friend, Ami Price, has started a Go Fund Me to get her back on her feet.

Ms Price, who lives in Portslade, said: “She’s got no fridge, she’s got no cooking facilities.

“By the time she’s paid for food and the launderette, it’s so expensive.

“She’s lost everything. My idea was to show her there are people that are around to give you support.

“Something to cheer her up. Even if it's just a couple of hundred pounds.

“To give her a boost.

“She’s always helped me through everything. She’s one of those people who feels bad for asking for help.”