Maureen Gilbert, 83, was discovered drowned in her home after river in Chesterfield overflowed
Maureen Gilbert, 83, was discovered drowned in her home after river in Chesterfield overflowed
The son of an 83-year-old woman who died during Storm Babet has called for more money to be invested in protecting homes from flooding.
An inquest at Chesterfield coroner’s court heard on Friday that Maureen Gilbert drowned in her home in Chesterfield after the River Rother overflowed on 21 October 2023 during the storm.
Storm Babet claimed seven lives across the UK, led to more than 10,000 people being evacuated from their homes and caused in excess of £450m in property damage.
The assistant coroner Matthew Kewley delivered a short narrative conclusion, stating that Gilbert had “died in her home due to drowning in flood waters caused by Storm Babet”, and that he believed there was still a risk to life in her road owing to improper flood defences.
“I’m concerned in the event of another adverse weather event such as Storm Babet, that there is an ongoing risk to life at Tapton Terrace in respect to people who may be elderly, vulnerable or immobile,” he said.
