By Bryana Francis

Copyright walesonline

Around 200 allotments in Cardiff have been badly damaged by heavy flooding which has lasted more than a month. The blocked pipe first became an issue at the start of September and has ruined crops, tools, sheds, and greenhouses while also causing lasting damage to the soil. Around three-quarters of the Leckwith Droves allotment site, located behind the Cardiff City House of Sport, is now flooded. Not only has this ruined crops but the floods also mean local community groups are unable to use the site. Dawid Wawrzyniak, from Canton , has had a plot there for around 11 years and has been the chair of the allotments since January. He grows potatoes, leaks, onions, beetroot, tomatoes, carrots, sage, thyme, and a variety of berries and tries to buy as little from the supermarket as possible. He said: “We’ve been flooded for a month now and three-quarters of the site is flooded. People have lost all their crops, tools, sheds, and greenhouses. The raised beds and the soil are also all badly damaged. “The damage is extensive. Winter crops have rotted in standing water, fruit trees and vines are unlikely to survive, and the soil has been left waterlogged. Wildlife has also suffered: thousands of earthworms, essential for soil health, have died. “The community spirit is low and it’s taking a toll on people’s mental health. Everything is getting worse because temperatures are dropping.” Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here . Dawid, like many others at the allotment, is desperate for the flooding to be sorted as soon as possible. He said that after the issue had been reported to Cardiff Council in early September it took a week for them to hear anything back and believds if they acted sooner much of the damage could’ve been avoided. He said: “Lots of my vegetables that can be picked in the autumn are gone because of the floods. We had a lot of potatoes which my wife planted but they’re all gone. We like eating from our allotment as much as we can because we don’t use any pesticides so it’s much healthier.” The Leckwith Droves committee is now calling for compensation, rent relief, or soil replacement for tenants whose plots have been destroyed and to remedy the damage that has been done on the site. A council spokesman said: “The council is in contact with the allotment association about this flooding and has been actively working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible since it was reported. “Investigations have located the cause as a blocked outfall pipe. Work to remove the blockage has been complicated by the size and location of the pipe, which means the heavy plant required in these situations cannot be safely used. An alternative solution has now been identified and a timeline for works to be carried out by an external contractor is being developed.”