The owner of a caravan park which flooded over the weekend insists the clean-up operation will begin shortly.

Albert Lee hopes to get all 200 residents back in their mobile homes at Little Venice caravan park, Yalding, as soon as possible, with "no expense spared."

People are facing Christmas in unfamiliar surroundings after being forced out of their homes on Saturday morning.

Emergency crews evacuated 22 people from the holiday park, where there are 123 properties housing around 200 people, while dozens more fled in anticipation of the heavy rain which hit over the weekend.

Firefighters used an inflatable boat to gain access to those who were most at risk and were supported by flood wardens, council workers as well as staff at the park - working in challenging conditions in which the water rose by some six inches throughout the day.

One of those ferried out remained in temporary accommodation as of Monday, though many of the others affected took shelter with local friends and family.

Mr Lee said: “There’s been a lot of false rumours going around about properties overturning on the park and being lost, which is simply not true.

“Each home is on floating pontoons which rise and fall with the river levels and so they’re working exactly as they’re designed.

“I’ve been on the park every day, going around to make sure people’s homes are okay.

“All the staff on Little Venice have been fantastic and were commended by the council and fire brigade for how efficiently we got people out.

“The people on the site are the salt of the earth, we’ve got a really great community here where everybody looks after each other.

“Particularly with some of the disabled and more vulnerable residents, people were rallying together to try and help.

“I’m going to spare no expense in getting these people back home as soon as possible.”

Paul Knibbs, 58, was stuck at Twyford Bridge Marina for more than 24 hours, and said: “We’ve been marooned, but we knew it was coming so I stocked up on whiskey and tobacco - food came later.”

The Boathouse restaurant at Hampstead Lock was closed over the weekend as staff and customers were unable to reach it but has reopened today as cars begin to make their way through the puddles.

Little Venice flood warden, Iris Lara, 57, dubbed “Magic Iris” by emergency crews, said the main damage was limited to carpets and insisted most people should be able to return home in a matter of days.

“A couple of people have stayed on site because we have trouble with people trying to get on here robbing all the homes,” she said.

However, fellow flood warden Dave Simmons insisted promises of improved flood defences made by ex-Prime Minister David Cameron in 2013 haven’t borne fruit.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service Station Manager, Lee Abel explained how people of all ages had to be helped out of their homes.

He added: “Our thoughts are with those people who’ll not be in their homes over the next few days.

“It’s certainly a challenging experience and can be extremely distressing, however most people are now in the care of their families, friends or with Maidstone Borough Council.”

Roads in the area remain flooded, including sections of Hampstead Lane which is impassable by Hampstead Lock.

Bow Hill in Wateringbury also remains closed.

Elsewhere, some residents in East Farleigh woke on Sunday morning to find they had five inches of water on the ground floor of their homes.

The houses, which sit just metres away from the water, are fitted with flood barriers on the front doors to prevent them from flooding but they didn’t work on this occasion.

Joanne Savage, 50, said: “The water didn’t come up above the flood gates so it shouldn’t have come in but they didn’t do anything at all.

"All our Christmas food had to be chucked out because the freezers went off. On the plus side there was a lovely swan that swam past."

To try and save some of her possessions, Ms Savage used a small window at the back of her house to get things out.

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Neighbour Sue Cooper is staying in a hotel and is waiting to hear from her insurers.

Her carpets squelch when someone walks across the floor and her walls and skirting boards are damp.

Although the water has now filtered out their homes, the homeowners have been left with lots of damage and have been forced to rip up carpets and open all their windows.

While they wait for everything to be repaired, they are staying at family member’s houses or in hotels.

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