In July 1968 torrential rain caused devastating flooding across the southwest of England. The flood created misery and tragedy but it also brought out acts of neighbourly kindness and heroism.

In Parson Street, Bedminster, Mrs Eley's husband rescued their neighbours' son by dragging him through a window.

'At about 7.30pm there was a tremendous rushing noise, our front door was smashed open and a wave of water tore through the house and out the back door taking everything with it, including our fridge. My husband was out of the house at the time but I managed to rush upstairs with the children. After a while, one of the children shouted, "Mum, Dad's coming in through the bedroom window."

My husband had swum around the back of the house and on the way had found our next-door neighbour's son, David Rawlings. David was unconscious and had a terrible gash in his arm where he had been hurled through a window.

My husband managed to get him onto the outhouse roof and we all helped drag him into the house through the window. We made David as comfortable as we could but it was Thursday morning before we could get him to hospital. We learned later that day that he had to have almost 40 stitches in his arm. It was a night I shall never forget.'

In Hartcliffe Way, George Bowden rescued two women trapped up to their necks in water. Sadly, while both women survived, George was washed away by the current.