Watch: Paddleboarders in flooded park as river bank bursts in Scotland

6 February 2021, 21:14 | Updated: 6 February 2021, 21:17

Man paddles through flooded park in Fife, Scotland

By Ewan Quayle

@EQjourno

Paddleboarders have been spotted in a flooded park in Fife after a nearby river burst its banks.

Much of Haugh Park in Cupar, Fife has been flooded after the River Eden overflowed due to heavy rain hitting the area.

James Matheson tweeted a picture of a paddleboarder gliding across the water on Saturday.

Read more: South east England braced for heavy snow as Storm Darcy arrives

Local resident Kim Bennett said some houses in the area have been flooded and there are fears other properties might be affected if the rain continues.

Mr Matheson, 34, told reporters: "The River Eden in Cupar burst its banks sometime in the last couple of days after the recent heavy rainfall. It means the Haugh Park in the centre of town is almost completely flooded, and has now been closed off by the police and council.

"Further along the riverside path behind Edenbank Road is also badly flooded meaning residents there are starting to get worried that if the rainfall continues it might start reaching the houses.

"I was checking in on my 90-yearo-old grandmother who lives there alone, and one neighbour said to me it was the highest they had seen the river there in the past 20 years when they moved in."

A Met Office yellow warning of snow and ice is in force across northern and eastern Scotland, including Fife, until midnight on Sunday.

Meanwhile the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued four flood alerts, including one for Fife, and one flood warning.

The Fife warning states: "Following recent heavy rain, there could be some ongoing flooding impacts on Saturday from surface water and some rivers in this area.

"Impacts may include flooding of low-lying land and roads."

Kim Bennett, from Cupar, a librarian at the University of St Andrews, spotted another paddleboarder and also took to social media to share images of the flooding.

She said: "The river Eden has bursts its banks. Worst I, and others, have seen it in 20 years.

"Some houses sadly flooded, under the South Bridge. The Haugh Park had been turned into a lake - spotted a paddleboarder today making the most of it.

"Culverts in the park have been pushed up because of the force of the water and I heard this evening that the police have now cordoned the park off."

Fife Council said that it is monitoring high risk areas.

Police said they attended at the park and alerted the council.