FloodSax protecting doors as water sweeps through the village of Whalley in Lancashire

How FloodSax sandless sandbags kept floodwater out of homes during storm

Floodwater was kept out of homes in the wake of a terrible storm by ‘sandbags’ without a grain of sand in them. 

Clitheroe Flood Action Group in Lancashire deployed FloodSax alternative sandbags to deal with the aftermath of Storm Ciara and they kept floodwater out of homes on badly flooded streets. 

They were deployed in Clitheroe which was flooded from the River Hodder and the nearby town of Whalley which is vulnerable to flooding from the River Calder. 

FloodSax resemble large pillowcases and are lightweight, weighing just a few ounces before they come into contact with water when the gelling polymer inside transforms them into ‘sandbags’ weighing 20 kilos (44lbs).

They are then tough enough to stop torrential floodwater getting into homes and businesses which is exactly how they worked in Clitheroe and Whalley. 

Clitheroe Flood Action Group warden Chris Peel said: “We had to declare a major incident across Clitheroe, Whalley and Billington.  Parts of villages were evacuated. 

“The FloodSax were really good to carry and very light, especially when we were walking through the water trying to work out our footing. They were extremely simple to use and quickly effective.” 

They were deployed to protect doors on a flooded road through Whalley and kept the floodwater out.