In October 2023, Storm Babet wreaked havoc across the United Kingdom. Within just a few hours, river levels surged at an alarming rate, toppling brick walls that had stood for centuries. When the waters finally receded, they left a thick blanket of mud clinging to every surface.

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Captured just a week after the floods swept through the small town of Chesterfield, these images offer a glimpse into a community slowly navigating the long road to recovery.​ But they also hint at a much larger pattern. According to the Environment Agency, one in four properties in England could be at risk of flooding by 2050. As extreme weather becomes more common, stories like this remind us not only of what’s at stake — but of the quiet resilience that carries people through.