TAVISTOCK firefighters this week described the shocking sights which met them as they joined one of the biggest rescue operations ever staged in Cornwall.

More than two inches of rain fell on Boscastle in just two hours during Monday afternoon, swelling the River Valency to a huge wall of water which crashed through the North Cornwall village, taking with it cars, caravans, trees, sections of buildings and the contents of homes.

The Tavistock firefighters were on the scene early, joining a combined rescue mission which included seven helicopters, coastguard teams, lifeboat, fire, police and ambulance personnel.

Tavistock station officer Tim Smith said: ?We were the third pump there. First Launceston was sent, we went there on standby, then we went straight on to Boscastle.

?It was extraordinary to find ourselves there. We were told en-route to proceed with maximum caution.

?We were driving through four-foot floods and were told it was a major disaster ? but when we got there we were absolutely stunned. The crew with me were all young lads and they couldn?t believe what was happening.

?It was like something out of a disaster movie. In 37 years in the fire service, I?ve never seen anything like it.

?If you imagine the width of the valley in Tavistock, with this ten-foot wall of water rushing through it, with cars, fridges, roofs ? everything being washed straight out to sea.?

Mr Smith said the Tavistock crew was involved in search and rescue attempts for several hours in the devasted village.

?We rescued an old lady out of her loft ? she?d gone back into the property to get her dog and as she went upstairs, the ground floor collapsed into the cellar. Leading fireman Mitch Kingham and his crew led her out to safety through another exit.?

Mr Smith said it would be an ?absolute miracle? if there were no fatalities in the wake of the flood.

?An eye-witness said they saw the water rising in the car park and they were queueing to get out when this wall of water came down. There was one car jammed under the bridge under about six feet of water and we could see the headlights on but it couldn?t be reached.

?There was a German couple who?d gone out walking for the day. They came back down the hill and saw all this and the woman almost passed out with shock. Everything they owned was in their car, which had been swept away.?

Mr Smith said the noise of the torrent, the rain and the roar of the seven helicopter engines overhead meant communication was extremely difficult, but in spite of this, everyone involved in the operation did a ?sterling job?.

We?ve carried water rescue equipment for the last two years, we?ve done training on fast water rescue, so everything just came into play,? he said.

Firefighter Mark Dyson said: ?It was just absolute devastation ? just pandemonium, with the water rushing everywhere and the two bridges completely demolished.

?They estimated the water was flowing at about 35mph ? they reckon some cars could have been washed up to two miles out to sea.?

Mr Dyson said the fear and distress of residents was obvious: ?A lot of businesses have been lost and many wanted to know what damage had been caused, but it was very difficult to be able to tell them much at that time.?

He said the crew worked very closely with the coastguard, rescuing people from less badly damaged homes and keeping a close eye on the rising tide.

?The risk assessment was that it was going to rise very suddenly, but it wasn?t actually too bad,? said Mark, who was full of praise for all the personnel involved in the rescue.

?It was amazing to be part of it, it?s definitely something that will stick with us. There was certainly some disbelief in the pump on the way home. You see something like that on TV and think ?Blimey?, but to be part of it was unbelieveable.?

The Tavistock crew attending the Boscastle flood disaster were Tony Smith, Mitch Kingham, Mark Dyson, Terry Lowe, Ian Smith and Charlie Cruise.

In addition to the town?s firefighters, volunteers from Tavistock WRVS joined an emergency service team providing food and support to some 200 people at Boscastle Village Hall and Camelford Leisure Centre.

Collecting boxes for a Boscastle flood relief fund have been placed in some town centre outlets, including Mackays and Tavistock Pannier Market.