STORMS, floods and even snow—West Devon and East Cornwall felt the full brunt of the wintry weather over the Christmas period with residents in Calstock left stranded when a road collapsed from the deluge of water.

Flood water closed Morwellham Quay on Christmas Eve when 3ft of water covered most of the village and a large tree affected by high winds had to be felled in Plymouth Road, Tavistock.

Some roads in Tavistock were closed due to icy conditions, the River Tavy looked dangerously close to bursting its bank in the town centre and in Princetown, there was snow on Christmas day.

Meanwhile a support group in Calstock has been set up to deliver vital fuel supplies to villagers after a road collapsed on Christmas Day.

Residents believe it could be at least six months before a 20-metre stretch of the single track road next to the River Tamar known as Lower Kelly is fully repaired after two thirds of the road collapsed in the storms leaving only a small section to walk through.

Firefighters have set up a temporary store at Calstock Boatyard and heating oil is being brought in by wheelbarrow to many of the 38 homes and four businesses that have been cut off.

The road only has one access in and out and with vehicles trapped, residents and business owners are concerned how they will go about their daily business. Everything from bringing in supplies by ferry to building a bridge over the River Tamar or a temporary road through the picturesque Danescombe Valley are being discussed.

A public meeting was held this week to discuss possible ways forward and a support group FOLK (Friends of Lower Kelly) has been set up as a result. Structural engineers have been on scene assessing the site this week.

Following the collapse which began at 11am on Christmas Day with another major collapse at 3am on Boxing Day, five households were evacuated but later told they could re-occupy their homes as there were no signs of properties being affected.

Owner of the Calstock Boatyard Elizabeth Dawes said: 'It's a total nightmare from a business point of view.

'We have 60 boats in the yard and we also have a furniture business manufacturing seating for cinemas and theatres across the country.

'On January 6 business resumes but we are cut off now. I do not know what we are going to do.'

People occupying holiday cottages along Lower Kelly for Christmas went home by public transport, having to leave their vehicles behind.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said the road was only ever built for the horse and cart.

He said: 'Most of the houses have been here since the 1850s but the traffic wasn't.

'There are heavy vehicles and construction lorries coming down here and the road can't take it.

'The road was cracking and the retaining wall was bulging a year ago.'

Richard Hocking, technical engineer for Cormac Solutions Ltd, which delivers in-house services to Cornwall Council, said the collapse was due to water pressure building up behind the retaining wall.

'After assessing the site, the remainder of the road looked stable and there are certainly no signs of any more major movement just potential for little bits to fall away,' he said.

'The properties along the road were not affected. I believe they are founded on rock rather than soil.'

Engineers are looking into the possibility of constructing a temporary road through the Lower Danescombe Valley to provide access. Manager of the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), of which the Danescombe Valley is part, Corinna Woodall said this was also a World Heritage area and had special features which could be damaged by construction work like this.

'Care needs to be taken in relation to the World Heritage site,' she said.

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said a site meeting had taken place on Monday (December 30) to carry out a structural assessment of the area and to consider how to progress the replacement of the wall and repair of the highway.

A series of residents' meetings had been held over the weekend to identify those who needed specific support.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service had put a number of contingences in place to provide emergency cover and the council would be arranging independent structural surveys of five properties immediately adjacent to the landslip.

The council is continuing to look at possible options to enable people to access their vehicles and in the meantime would be funding alternative transport, she said.