FIONA and Steve Kellett were returning home to Spain from the trip of a lifetime when their lives changed in an instant.
As their plane touched down from the Far East, a video call from their housesitters revealed a nightmare in real time.
Floodwaters were pouring into the couple’s Andalucia home, where they have lived for six years.
They had become one of the many victims of Storm Francis which devastated the region earlier this month, sending 500 families into temporary accommodation.
The storm brought torrential rainfall with up to 200mm recorded in some towns, including theirs in Jimena de la Frontera.
The local Hozgarganta river reached its highest level ever, bursting its banks and causing chaos.
There was no chance for the couple’s housesitters Abbi and Ed to escape. Nor for their beloved pets as water burst into the home from all around.
As they got home, the Welsh couple were desperately trying to save their five cats, while rescue dogs Mylie, Daisy and Marmalade sought refuge on the sofas, which were floating around their sitting room.
Outside, they could see their adopted donkeys, Luna and Seca, wading through flood water.
When removal company boss Steve, 62, from Milton Keynes, tried to drive through the surging waters, it was clearly too dangerous.
Finally, Abbi and Ed managed to escape, but were forced to leave the dogs behind.
Miraculously when they returned the following day, all their animals had somehow survived.
But the same cannot be said for their home, which has been destroyed.
The pair told the Olive Press they have lost all their personal belongings and two vans which they rely on for their livelihoods – Steve owns a removal company and data analyst Fiona, 55, from Warwickshire, commutes to Gibraltar. They were not insured.
Their housesitters also lost their car and were flown back to Wales by their insurance company.
Now living in a nearby warehouse, with no hot running water, they are making an appeal to ‘big hearted’ Olive Press readers for help.
“Helping us would mean more than just money – it would mean hope, safety, and a second chance for our animals,” said Fiona, who has set up a GoFundMe appeal.
In particular they need help for one of their cats, Miso, who is 26 years old and needs extra care.
They also have new unexpected costs including temporary accommodation, food and supplies for the animals, as well as repairs to the vans.
To make matters worse, the couple’s landlord claimed all of the contents of the house were his, despite losing all their electronic devices, clothes and a lifetime of memories.
He insisted they wouldn’t have to pay rent for the uninhabitable home if the couple returned the keys three days after the flood.
They plan to dispute the landlord’s claim, but as they try to rebuild, a legal battle is the last thing they need.
Luckily, for now the couple have somewhere to go – a friend has offered them a property, which currently has no running water or electricity, so they need a new PV solar system, as well as new pipes. They also need some financial help to repair their vans.
“Any little help financially can help us heal and rebuild,” continued Fiona.
For the meantime, Fiona has launched a GoFundMe campaign which will help them to clear the drive, install a PV solar system, water and repair their vans so they can rebuild their lives.
Fiona’s family of animals will be reunited on the 1st of February at the new house.
Find Fiona’s GoFundMe page here
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