RESIDENTS in Bude breathed a sigh of relief over the weekend as the forecast storms that battered Cornwall did not hit the town as hard as some other areas.

But a clean-up operation is still on-going in Bude, following damage caused over the previous weekend.

Harry McConville, who owns The Gallery on Belle Vue Avenue, said there had been a constant severe flood alert, both coastal and from the river.

On the weekend of February 1 and 2, a number of residents were advised to evacuate their homes but it is not believed anyone did.

That weekend there was a 7.7-metre tide, a high spring tide, whereas last weekend there was a very low Neap tide, which meant residents and business owners did not have to worry quite as much.

Shopkeepers in The Crescent have been relatively fortunate during the storms and Harry, on behalf of himself and other businesses, extended thanks to Gareth Cann, Countryside Ranger, and his team, who are on call night and day and were in Bude for several nights running, lifting the sluices on the canal to let the water out when flood warnings were received.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.