On the night of August 15, 1952, disaster struck the village of Lynmouth in north Devon. Swollen by days of heavy rainfall, the East and West Lyn rivers burst through their walls, sending a torrential flood hurdling through the seaside town. The fast-moving floodwaters carried hundreds of thousands of pounds of rocks and other debris, which carved a path of destruction through the river valley. Overnight, 34 people were killed, more than 100 buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged, and 28 of the town’s 31 bridges were swept away. The…
