Residents of a Perthshire town worked through the night to protect their homes from flooding.
Alyth locals pulled together to distribute sandbags at hotspots across the town at the weekend, amid fears history would repeat itself and the burn’s banks would burst.Â
It comes after residents decided to take matters into their own hands last month, when Perth and Kinross Council admitted a delay in their storm response.
KT Garrett of the Alyth Community Support Group (ACSG) said there were no homes flooded in Saturday’s heavy rain, which she described as a “success story” rarely seen during storms.
She said: “During the night, there was a team out and about helping the council.
“Everyone in Alyth is really hands on and they help each other.
“It’s about giving people peace of mind.”
Following adverse weather warnings, locals distributed sandbags to areas at high risk of flooding.
The ACSG provided sandbags, with an additional eight pallets provided by the council.
Locals also used water level monitoring system RiverTrack to observe the extent to which Alyth Burn was rising during the rainfall.
Sensors have been placed at the burn, which allow people to keep track of water levels.
Alan Shaw of ACSG said: “It was high water but everyone mucked in.
“It was awesome the way locals worked together.”
Meanwhile, the Alyth Hotel remained open overnight on Saturday to support workers.
Hotel manager Stewart McTaggart said: “We offered emotional support or a cup of tea for the residents and workers.
“We also offered beds, blankets, and general information.
“It was nice to have the hotel as a hub.”
Mr McTaggart also echoed the praise for Alyth locals.
“It was lovely to see the community come together,” he said.
