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DON'T GET OUT DEPTH WARNS RAC
THE severe, wet and stormy weather continuing to affect much of the country, has left many motorists stranded and needing to call for assistance to flood-damaged vehicles, said:- motoring organisation RAC.
"There are of course extreme situations such as Boscastle, where probably nothing could have been done to prevent the flood damage," said:- RAC patrol of the year Paul Oakley.
"However many motorists in other parts of the country have been caught out by driving through flooded areas not appreciating how deep the water is until it's too late."
With weather forecasters predicting severe wet weather conditions over the next two days, RAC is anticipating similar problems for many motorists.
MAKE SURE YOUR COVER IS WATERTIGHT
ROYAL LIVER has warned homeowners to make sure they are protected against flood damage in the light of recent persistent heavy downpour in the weather across the country.
Following the recent floods in Cornwall, friendly society Royal Liver Assurance has issued a reminder to homeowners living in areas at risk of flooding to make sure they have adequate insurance.
Torrential rain led to flooding that affected up to 1,000 homes this week in and around the tourist village of Boscastle in Cornwall. Water levels reached up to 9ft in depth as cars were washed into the nearby harbour.
Helicopters, fire engines and lifeboats were called into action to rescue residents and holidaymakers as the waters left thousands of pounds of damage in their wake.
Yet despite the extensive damage caused by flooding each year, many of the 5 million people at risk still have inadequate insurance provision. Insurance specialists at Royal Liver Assurance, the second largest friendly society in the UK, are warning homeowners to make sure they are not only covered but also are not underinsured.
Andrew Wood, from Royal Liver Assurance, said:- "10% of the land area of the UK is at risk of flooding and despite attempts to increase awareness of the risks to the 2 million households and 185,000 businesses this affects, many are still unaware of the potential danger.
It's important that homeowners check whether they are at risk and then check their level of cover. Some insurers are unwilling to cover homes for flood damage in high-risk areas and those that do may only offer limited protection.
Your home is the biggest investment most people ever make and it's important that it is properly protected. Failure to do so could lead to a payout that isn't adequate to meet the costs of flood damage."
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Quest for cultured cabbies
THE hunt is on for Liverpool's most cultured cabbies in time for 2008, when the city becomes European Capital of Culture.
The Liverpool Culture Company and Liverpool City Council is searching for taxi drivers who can tell Bach from the Beatles, Milton from McGough and Georges Seurat from George Stubbs.
Cabbies are expected to wax lyrical about Liverpool's cultural hotspots, including its many theatres, galleries and museums, as well as the city's Biennial arts festival.
The aim is to boost the experience of tourists visiting Liverpool by making cabbies more knowledgeable about the city's rich cultural heritage.
In return for their efforts, the top ten most cultured cabbies will be officially recognised with eye-catching new Capital of Culture 2008 branding for their cabs.
Councillor Warren Bradley, Liverpool City Council's executive member for leisure, said:- "On the road to 2008, we need to make sure Liverpool moves into top gear as a global destination for culture vultures. The first impression visitors have of the city needs to be a good one, and cab drivers are amongst the people tourists are most likely to meet. If we try to make cabbies more aware of Liverpool's rich cultural heritage, we will really put the city in the driving seat with visitors."
Drivers taking part in the voluntary project will be asked to answer a series of questions on culture and will then be interviewed by a panel from the Liverpool Culture Company.
Amongst other questions, the application form asks cabbies to name two of Liverpool's National Museums and the name of the new media arts centre on Wood Street.
Additionally, applicants will be asked to say why they deserve the title of Liverpool's most cultured cabbie.
Taxi drivers interested in entering the competition can pick up an application form from Liverpool City Council licensing officers, or the offices of cab branding agency Cabvert Media Solutions, who will help judge entries.
Forms can also be downloaded from www.liverpoolculture.com, or are available by calling the Liverpool Culture Company on 0151 233 5442.
The final deadline for entries is Friday August 27, with interviews for finalists taking place on Tuesday August 31.
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