TORRENTIAL downpours during the festive break have left a twice-flooded Ashburton youth charity with a £5,000 repair bill which it can ill afford.

The Bank Youth Project in East Street was under six inches of water in its basement after the heavens opened at Christmas.

Extensive damage was caused, forcing the replacement of a faulty sump pump to deal with inundation of surface water.

Casualties included a new office carpet, computer power leads, a telephone, printer, hard drive, chairs and paperwork in a filing cabinet which contained important statistical information.