A GREENOCK business owner says she may be forced to shut up shop if drastic action is not taken to prevent flood water seeping in through her premises.

Ann Robertson, who owns the Blow Your Top hairdresser’s in Newton Street, faces a £6,000 repair bill after her shop was left ‘floating’ in water on Monday night after heavy rain.

She said she contacted Inverclyde Council immediately but claims she has received no help since.

Ann is now at her wits end, with her business repeatedly swamped by floods over a 14 year period. She fears for the future of her business, which employs two staff.

Ann told the Tele: “The flooding was so bad you really needed a canoe to get about.

“I phoned up the council’s environmental health department but they told me that they couldn’t come out and I would have to make an appointment.

“I said ‘are you joking? I’m flooded’, but I’ve not had help.

“I used to be based in Inverkip Street and I moved here 14 years ago to escape the flooding there but it’s worse than ever.

“We’ve had so many meetings about it and the shop owners have been fighting this for years.

“All this effort, but our premises keep getting wrecked.

“I’m worried that I might have to shut my business because of this.

“My insurance is going up and up and I think the insurers must be thinking ‘what is going on here?’” Ann, who has managed to keep the business open despite the flooding, says she intends to lodge a claim against the council for the damage.