GRAND Nationalwinning jockey Brendan Powell thought he was beyond being shocked after a lifetime at the sharp end in racing.

But nothing prepared him for the sight of two feet of water pouring into his rented yard in Lambourn 10 days ago.

“The level rose so quickly we couldn’t do anything to stop it,” said Powell. “One moment the boxes were dry. The next, the horses were standing in loads of water.”

Many of the horses Powell trains have been moved to temporary quarters elsewhere, and the continuing monsoon conditions have left his yard under constant threat of further severe flooding.

He said: “I’ve had the fire brigade helping out, and specialists have cleared out the drains.

“There is so much water in Upper Lambourn it has to go somewhere and, unfortunately, the easiest route is straight into our yard.

“We were starting to dry out on Thursday, but totally flooded again 24 hours later. It’s distressing to see the water rising like a tide. I can’t see an end to it.

“The cost of damage to bedding will run into thousands, and the outdoor arena I use to warm up the horses is ruined. The irony is that none of my horses go on this heavy ground.”