Some residents threatened by flooding in Brechin are vowing to stay in their homes – despite being urged to evacuate over Storm Babet safety fears.
A red “danger to life” warning comes into force at 6pm on Thursday.
As a result, people in more than 300 homes in the town are being urged to evacuate by Angus Council.
Three safe shelters are being set up across Angus to accommodate those having to leave.
Some living in the River Street area are relaxed about the extreme weather.
John Stewart, 82, told The Courier he is refusing to leave his house.
Brechin pensioner vows to ‘stay where I am’ despite Storm Babet evacuation
He said: “I haven’t seen or heard from anyone in the council.
“I’m staying where I am.
“My wife is ill and she needs a proper bed to sleep on.
“She won’t be wanting to leave unless we’re made to.”
Helen Longmuir, who also lives on River Street, said she has received no evacuation call from Angus Council or Sepa.
She has lived in the same house for 53 years and, although water has lapped her doorstep in years past, she has never been flooded.
She told The Courier she was confident that new flood defences in the town would hold – but she will only find out on Thursday evening.
She has inspected the river and said so far it is far lower than the 3.9 metres it reached in November last year.
Michael Vettese, aged 50, is similarly relaxed.
While visiting his mother on River Street, he said it had looked more threatening during past alerts.
He also said there had been no contact from the council so far – but that his mother received a recorded telephone warning two days ago.
Meanwhile Amanda McNeill, owner of the nearby Bridgend Bar, is keeping her establishment open until the authorities say otherwise.
She said: “We haven’t had anyone in to tell us to close today.
‘Until we’re told otherwise we’re staying put’
“When it happened last year it was a farce.
“People were being told to evacuate the building in the middle of their meals and leave.
“At the same time, you see a post of people walking up and down the street unbothered.
“We’re on a bit of an incline from the river so I doubt we’ll get much water.
“Until we’re told otherwise we’re staying put.”
However, Paul Fowlie, whose River Street home in Brechin has been flooded three times in recent years, is more concerned.
He told The Courier it was now “a waiting game” as to whether his property would be affected.
He said: “I’ve already put sandbags in place and water defences and just hope this will be enough.
“I’ve also lifted all my electrical appliances and furniture from the ground floor and moved them upstairs.
“We lost everything in November so this time we are trying to act now to protect whatever we can.
“It’s a case of simply sitting here praying that the flood defences are not breached.”
His wife, Kim, added that she would not fully rest until high tide passes on Thursday evening and the red warning has eased.
She has lived in River Street for 21 years and has experienced several major flooding incidents.
With residents of flood threatened River Street ignoring the evacuation call the emergency reception centre at the towns Community campus remains unoccupied.
As the afternoon wore on house lights were turned on indicating people were settling down for the evening.
One resident, Brian Petrie, 66, said no one from council or police had been in touch to tell him to leave.
“I would have had to stay here anyway because I have a bedbound mother upstairs but if I did not I would have stayed anyway.
“I have looked at the river level from upstairs and it is not too bad,” said the retired Don and Low worker.
Fellow River Street resident, Catherine Herald, is also staying put.
“No one has come to tell us to leave although we had a message from SEPA.
“We are going to sit tight considering last year the river was right up. However , we are keeping an eye on it.”
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