Bryony Sadler picks her way through the damp, cold, jagged mess that used to be her kitchen, the heart of her family home. ‘It’s difficult to see it like this,’ she said. ‘This was our home and look at it now. It’s horrendous. We will be back. It will be a special place for the children again. But it’s going to take a long time.’The Sadlers’ is one of scores of households that had to evacuate suddenly when flood waters swamped the villages of Moorland and Fordgate on the Somerset Levels in February. Since then husband, Gavin, children Toby, six, and Elsa, three, and their granny, Julie, have been packed into a small holiday let in a nearby village. Temporary homes have been found for their horse, dogs, rabbits, guinea pig and 70 chickens

At Wisteria Farm, Bob Hall checks on his flood-damaged yard, thick with a foul-smelling sludge, and empty livestock sheds. ‘I think there’s a “them and us” attitude,’ he said. ‘We’re out here on our own and I don’t think we matter as much to the powers that be in their cosy offices.’Hall, 66, is struggling to cope with life without his beef herd, part of which has been slaughtered, the other part evacuated to a shed in Taunton. ‘I’m used to getting up early and doing some work then going back for breakfast. A full English can’t hurt you when you’ve done a couple of hours’ work. That routine has gone’

Retired Royal Engineer Philip Maye manoeuvres a caravan on his drive. This is likely to be his temporary home for the foreseeable future while his flooded home is dried out and repaired, because he is at loggerheads with his insurance company

As if on cue, a truck loaded with volunteers arrives to pick up piles of plasterboard and rubble that Maye had stacked up near the road. This team was mainly women from across south-west England who were concentrating on helping victims without insurance. ‘We’re here because the local people need our help,’ said Becky, who has so far spent a fortnight on the levels. ‘We’ll keep coming until it’s all sorted’

Villagers are cautiously optimistic about the government’s pledge of £20m for a 20-year flood action plan on the levels. They are also looking forward to the start of dredging of the river Parrett, due to begin at the end of March, which they believe will ease future flooding problems

Neil Craddock has returned to his wooden flooring factory to be confronted by an estimated £1m of damage to stock and machinery. He had not been able to get insurance after floods last year. ‘We’ve been numbed by the experience, it’s unbelievable,’ he said

Pensioner Michael Price says he and his wife, Buttons, had only just got their bungalow in Moorlands how they wanted it after 42 years of living there. ‘Now it’s total devastation,’ he said, pointing out the cherished heirlooms, including ‘dear old Pop’s desk’, that were ruined

Muddied cutlery is seen in Price’s home

Moorland resident Trevor Fisher, 72, stands beside his damaged sports car

Volunteers help remove flood-damaged belongings in Fordgate