DISASTER struck a village business in the cold snap as a “severe flood” destroyed a clothes shop.

Thousands of pounds worth of stock was wrecked as well as the flooring of Susu, when , it is believed, a water meter, belonging to the firm (Welwyn Aesthetic Clinic) upstairs, froze and then burst causing tonnes of water to come through the ceiling.

Lucy Forbes-Graham, a worker at the High Street, Welwyn, store, said: “After four hours of trying to stop the water, the fire brigade were called who stopped the water but it continued to flow for a few more hours.

“After days of drying out over Christmas we now have the builders in. All being well, by the end of January, we will be up and running, unveiling SuSu’s facelift! All recovered stock was taken to the dry safety of our Radlett shop, where we are open as usual.”

Jacquie Mitchell, owner of Welwyn Aesthetic Clinic, added: “Luckily we got in at 8am and caught it before it damaged all our lasers and expensive equipment, so we have continued as normal.

“It was ankle deep, above the skirting boards, and destroyed our flooring. Unfortunately it later wrecked downstairs.”

The accident happened on Wednesday December 22. One crew from Welwyn fire service was called to the incident at 10.30am and “made the shop safe”.