A MAN woke up in a panic during the middle of the night to find his home flooded – but the damage could have been far worse if his cat had not raised the alarm.

Ike Ekpunobi, 36, of Nevendon Road, Wickford, was woken by his pet Tigger at about 3am yesterday morning and discovered the living room and kitchen of his house was ankle deep in water after his driveway outside flooded.

He called firefighters who pumped out the water, but some of his footwear and carpets have been damaged by the water.

Mr Ekpunobi said: “If it wasn’t for my cat I probably would have slept through it and it could have been much worse.

“He was making a noise because obviously he doesn’t like water, and when I went downstairs the water was ankle deep and I panicked.

“I was in shock. I had reached the kitchen but the damage isn’t too bad and it could have been much worse.”

“Thankfully I’m insured and some of the flooring is wooden anyway.”

The fire service spent three hours trying to remove water from house as there was so much water in the storm drain there was nowhere for them to pump the rainfall to.