VALE Royal's twin region in the Czech Republic has been devastated by floods which have killed seven people.

The Mayor of Vale Royal, Clr Keith Musgrave, and a delegation from the borough council, which is based at Wyvern House in Winsford, were in Rychnov Nad Kneznou just two months ago on an eight-day civic visit.

Back in June the area enjoyed some of its hottest weather for years and it was a tremendous shock when news reached the council of the floods on Thursday.

The flood water gathered in the Eagle Mountains and then surged into more than 20 villages and two towns.

Seven people were killed, six villagers and one rescuer.

Clr Musgrave said: "I have contacted the district office in Rychnov Nad Kneznou and conveyed our deepest regret and concern at the news of such devastation in the region due to flooding.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has suffered losses. We hope things settle down a little so that the re-building of property and lives can begin."

A large delegation from the area visited Vale Royal in July 1997 for the Twinning Festival which brought together nine twin towns from seven different countries and involved partners from nine different Vale Royal organisations.

Damage to the municipal and private property amounts to almost £30 million and about 1,000 troops have been sent to the area to help with the disaster.

Petr Narwa, chairman and chief executive of the local authority in Rychnov, has thanked Vale Royal for its offer of help but says that things are now under control and nothing needs to be sent from England.

In a letter to Keith Musgrave, Anna Oberreiterova, principal of the Business Akademie in Kostelec, said there was a "terrible rain and thunder storm" during the night with more than 20 centimetres of water falling in just six hours.

She said that places Clr Musgrave and others from Vale Royal had visited near Dubroska are now unrecognisable and many houses have been so badly damaged that they have had to be demolished.

The area has received a lot of help and money after people saw the disaster on television.

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