STAFF at a West Kirby restaurant have spoken of the moment their excitement turned to fear after high tides left them surrounded by water.

Tanskeys, on West Kirby Promenade, contacted the Globe on Thursday after six members of staff became stranded for more than three hours.

Following the tidal surge, water levels began to rise, leaving what staff described as ‘shoulder height’ water outside and inches of water inside the premises.

Manager Hannah Watson told the Globe: “We get high tides four times a year but once every four years it gets really high. It’s particularly rare to be like this.

Wirral Globe: VIDEO: Tanskeys' staff speak of 'lucky escape' as tidal surge raged across West Kirby promenade

STORM DAMAGE: Large parts of the marine lake wall lie on the prom

 

 

“We didn’t know whether to be excited or scared.

“At first it was funny but then I started to get a bit nervous when cars and benches began floating past and banging on the windows. I thought, ‘If that comes through we’re going to have a problem – we’re going to have to swim out of here’ but we were lucky.

“It makes you realise what other people have been through, with Tsunamis. We’re really fortunate.

“It could have been a lot worse.”

The restaurant, which backs onto Coronation Gardens, was fortunate to come off almost unscathed, but sadly the same cannot be said for its store room.

“It’s pretty wrecked,” said Hannah.

“We’re going to have to get industrial cleaners in for that.”

Once the water levels began to drop, Hannah helped the rest of the staff leave the building by giving them piggybacks.

“That’s dedication,” said manager Warren Shaw.

“The water was up to their thighs. You just can’t underestimate the power of water.”

The extent of the flooding outside Tanskeys, West Kirby.