Amazing team at Asda Ballyclare help customers following flash flooding

A huge thank you to the amazing team at our Ballyclare store who pulled out all the stops to help customers when flash flooding caused by torrential rain swamped the car park and store entrance.

They kept everyone safe and dry inside during the worst of the storm before later making sure customers safely got back to their cars, carrying their shopping and any pushchairs.

Their actions have been praised by customers who took to the Love Ballyclare Facebook page to thank them.

One shopper wrote: "Could I please get a post put on for the 2 Asda ladies wearing welly boots who helped me and my wee boy through the flooded Asda car park to my car and brought me out my shopping! Honestly don't know what I would have done without them today. We are truly grateful and it was so very kind of them! "

Another added: "Two young lads from Asda with no wellies helped me get my shopping out, and I was over ankle level. Thanks to all the staff."

Johnathan Alderdice, the store's e-commerce manager, says he's proud of the way colleagues mucked in and helped out. He helped too – carrying a lady's pram through the floodwater which was about two feet deep in places so she could get to her car and go home.

He said: "We never expected it at all; it came on really suddenly. We had flash floods all within ten minutes and the car park was deep in water and it started to come into the store too.

"All the colleagues gathered at the front of the store to brush the water out. We had to close the doors as there was too much water getting in at one point."

When the rain eased they were able to open the doors to let people out.

Johnathan said: "There were quite a few customers who were helped over to their cars by colleagues who carried their shopping too.

"There were a few elderly customers so, with the water being so high – it was above the knees in places – we were worried that they may have tripped, so we held their hands and got them to their cars.

"Two colleagues helped a young lady with a baby out to her car and I carried a pram out to a lady's car too.

"The customers were very grateful and we'd like to thank all out colleagues who got stuck in and helped out."

The flooding took place on Tuesday and the store re-opened, after a bit of mopping up, the following morning.

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